Eric in SF@Flickr is not only responsible for today's photograph (original | BPotD Flickr Group Pool), but also for suggesting a series on tropical fruits. Sounds like a good idea to me, though I have few (if any) photographs to add to the mix since my trip to a tropical area was postponed by a year. If you have any tropical fruit images, it'd be an ideal time to add them to the Flickr pool or BPotD submissions forum. Thanks again, Eric!
The genus Artocarpus is a member of the Moraceae, or mulberry family (sometimes called the fig family). In addition to the marang shown in today's image, the genus includes the better-known breadfruit and jackfruit. Unlike the jackfruit, however, the fruits of marang are relatively light and small, weighing only 1kg (2.2 lbs). Not many fruits can compare to the 50 kg jackfruit in size, though.
Marang is a local delight in the regions where it is grown. As noted in the Under-Utilized Tropical Fruits of Thailand (where it is cultivated; the species is native to Borneo and the Philippines), Artocarpus odoratissimus “has low yield and short shelf-life as compared to jackfruit”, making broader distribution of the fruit as an economic crop difficult. Too bad in some ways, as it seems to be the highest-prized fruit among the genus.
The USDA's Pacific Basin Tropical Plant Genetic Resources unit has a series of photographs of fruits in the breadfruit genus, including marang.
Hi I was wondering if the fruit tasted good? If so if you could explain it? Also is there a certain time it ripens or do you eat it anytime? Thanks for your help.
Allie - I tasted the exact fruit pictured and I can tell you it was delightful.
Each section was sweet, moderately sticky, with a wonderful sweet tropical fruit flavor. No acid at all. There is a fairly large edible (when roasted) seed inside each section, easily spit out.
It does have a season, which is fairly short, so I was lucky to encounter it at the market.
Great photo as always Eric!
Is this fruit related to the Durian? It has a reputation for having a nasty odor like garlic, but heavenly taste nonetheless.
No, it's in a different plant family. Durian (Durio spp.) is in the Malvaceae/Bombacaceae where Marang is in the Moraceae.
The fruits are superficially similiar, even confusing me at first, but I am sure the flowers would more clearly illustrate membership in the two different families.
And yes, Durian has a most unpleasant odor. Two of my traveling companions bought small packages of Durian flesh on the sly. The smell was a mixture of rotting garbage and gasoline, and I was the lucky one next to their suitcases, where they'd secretely stashed their purchase. It effectively suppressed my apetite the rest of the afternoon.
So does the marang smell bad as well? What does "odor-atissimus" mean?
Roberta, it definitely has an odor from what I've read (you're right about the epithet referring to the smell). Maybe Eric can comment specifically on the smell – its relative, the jackfruit, has been described as having the smell of rotting onions when ripe.
Roberta - I didn't actually stick my nose into the open fruit, but while eating the sections out of hand there was no apparent smell. I read the accounts of it having a smell -- that wasn't my experience with this particular fruit.
The fragrant ripe fruits is strongly sweet-smelling.
In kalimantan it is called Nangka Monyet, The Kelabit natives call it Keiran, the Dusun native call it Timadang, the Iban call it Lumuk, the Penan call it Kien while the Kenyah call it Basut. All these natives are from Sarawak, Malaysia.
Is the wood of Artocarpus odoratissimus useful, what is the quality or properties of the wood ?
Appreciate if someone can enlighten me on this.
Thank you.
monique-hi!im really wondering on how you can utilize this...i actually have an ivestigaory project on how to utilize the seeds of tthis fruit..please,,,anyone smart enough to comment back..tnx..