2014 ASHS Annual Conference

A study was conducted on Mangifera casturi, Mangifera lalijiwa, Mangifera rubrapatela, Mangifera odorata, Mangifera lauraina, Mangifera zeylanica and Mangifera sp (‘Rampagni’) grown at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden living collection located in Homestead, FL, USA. These species are part of a Mangifera species collection that currently consists of 40 accessions collected or native to Brunei Darussalem, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. There exists limited information on bloom morphology of wild mango relatives and most information in the literature was derived from herbarium specimens. Information collected includes color, petal number, hermaphrodite/male ratio, aroma, and panicle architecture. The study was conducted from November 2012 to January 2013 and again from November 2013 to January 2014, which coincides with the flowering season of these species. Inflorescences were randomly selected from each tree, photographed and drawn for evaluation of flowering morphology structure of the 6 species. In terms of floral morphology, they all have differing percentages of hermaphrodite and male flowers; 5 to 6 petals; range in color from cream to white, burgundy and red; aromas from lilacs to jasmine; and variable panicle branching patterns. Mangifera casturi, Mangifera lalijiwa, Mangifera rubrapatela, Mangifera zeylanica and Mangigera lauraina have more hermaphrodite flowers than M. odorata, and M. sp ‘Rampgani’. Hermaphroditic to male ratios were greater in these two species in both years. Mangifera casturi has hermaphrodite flowers (74%). and male flowers (24.5%). Mangifera lalijiwa has hermaphrodite flowers (71%). and male flowers (26%), Mangifera rubrapatela has hermaphrodite flowers (88%) and male flowers (12%), Mangifera lauraina has (62%) and male flowers (38%), compare with Mangifera odorata than had (21%) hermaphrodite flowers and Mangifera sp. (‘Rampagni’) with (15%) of hermaphrodite flowers. The relationship between hermaphrodite and male flowers are discussed as well as the ramifications for breeding and fitness as parents for crosses with Mangifera indica.