Hog plum

Description

Spondias pinnata, sometimes also known as hog plum, is a species of tree with edible sour fruits. It is native to the Philippines and Indonesia, but has been widely naturalized in South Asia, Mainland Southeast Asia, Southern China, and the Solomon Islands. It belongs to the family Anacardiaceae. This species, among several others, has sometimes called the "wild (or forest) mango" in other languages and was once placed in the genus Mangifera. It is found in lowlands and hill forests up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft). Spondias pinnata is a deciduous tree, 10–15 m tall (sometimes up to 25 m in height); branchlets yellowish brown and glabrous. The leaves are large, with pairs of leaflets (see illustration) on petioles that are 100–150 mm and glabrous; leaf blades 300–400 mm, imparipinnately compound with 5-11 opposite leaflets; leaflet petiolule 3–5 mm; leaflet blade ovate-oblong to elliptic-oblong, 70-120 × 40–50 mm, papery, glabrous on both sides, with margins that are serrate or entire; the apex is acuminate, lateral veins 12-25 pairs. The inflorescence is paniculate, terminal, 250–350 mm and glabrous, with basal first order branches 100–150 mm. The flowers are mostly sessile and small, white and glabrous; calyx lobes are triangular, approx. 0.5 mm. Petals are ovate-oblong, approximately 2.5 × 1.5 mm; stamens are approximately 1.5 mm. The fruit is a drupe ellipsoid to elliptic-ovoid, olive green becoming yellowish orange at maturity, 35-50 × 25–35 mm; inner part of endocarp woody and grooved, outer part fibrous; mature fruit usually have 2 or 3 seeds. In China, it flowers from April–June and fruits from August–September. The fruits have a sour taste and can be eaten raw or made into jams, jellies, or juices. They can also be used as feed for pigs (hence the common name "hog plum"). In the Philippines, libas leaves and fruits are used as a souring agent in various native dishes like sinigang, sinanglay, or laing. In India, ambda pickle is made using quartered ambda fruits preserved in mustard oil, salt, and spices. Along with mango and chili pepper pickle, it is the most common type of pickle found in households in many parts of India. Spondias is a genus of flowering plants in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. The genus consists of 17 described species, 7 of which are native to the Neotropics and about 10 are native to tropical Asia.