Ethnobotanical identification of mango (Mangifera indica L.) and other fruit trees mentioned in Old Javanese Ramayana (10th century Java, Indonesia)

Abstract

Abstract. Mulyanto D, Supangkat B, Nurseto HE, Iskandar J. 2023. Ethnobotanical identification of mango (Mangifera indica L.) and other fruit trees mentioned in Old Javanese Ramayana (10th century Java, Indonesia). Biodiversitas 24: 609-616. Among the 2778 stanzas in Old Javanese Ramayana (OJR), only 46 (1.6%) mentioned fruit trees. There are 63 Old Javanese phytonyms for fruit or fruit tree and only 12 (19%) of them are Sanskrit in origin. Fifty-six species from 44 genera and 26 families are identified, higher than the number of fruit trees carved in reliefs of Borobudur Temple. Of the 56 species, 13 are exotic, specifically from the Indian subcontinent. One of the exotic trees from India that has been naturalized in Java for centuries is Mangifera indica, which is the most often mentioned in the text. Meanwhile, 39 of them are expressly described as fruits that can be consumed raw as food/dessert. It was also found that there are four landscapes, namely hermitage, countryside, forest, and royal garden, which depict the presence of fruit trees. The forest is the landscape with the most mentioned fruit trees in its description. Furthermore, the fruit tree present in the depiction of all landscapes is Mangifera indica. The prevalence of mango trees in these landscapes is probably related to the mango fruit’s edibility as well as its symbolic and religious significance. Other fruit trees, such as Aegle marmelos, Garcinia xanthochymus, Phyllanthus emblica, and Tamarindus indica also have religious significance in Hinduism.

Ethnobotanical study of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and mango (Mangifera indica L.) varieties in Nigeria

“…This agrees with the work of Metusala et al (2020) who reported the presence of mango trees all over Indian places such as village settlements, wild forests, royal gardens, farms, reliefs of Borobudur Temple, etc. Similar results were obtained by Mulyanto et al (2023) who recorded 63 names of mango species in Indonesia.…”

“…Ascertaining the origin and genetic diversity of these cultivated varieties will require genetic analyses, but the sampled communities were convinced about the importance of preserving the landraces they cultivated knowing that they had been passed down through many generations (Malik et al 2012;Ravishankar et al 2000;Rey et al 2006). The ethnobotanical surveys allow us to understand the relationship between human beings and plant species (Fatur 2019;Petran et al 2020;Liu et al 2021;Mulyanto et al 2023). We can infer indigenous knowledge of mango and sweet orange species based on their current utilization and benefits to people who cultivate and use them (Iwu 2002).…”

“…According to Shah et al (2010) mango fruits is regarded as revitalizing and freshening horticultural fruit crop. Mulyanto et al (2023) have reported that Artocarpus heterophyllus, Citrus sp., Salacca zalacca, and Musa sp are used as dessert during celebratory atmosphere in the royal palaces of Indonesia. Many ailments have been treated using mango leaves and orange parts as recorded in the areas of studies.…”

“…Some informants used the trees as a symbol for a dead person or events to always remind themselves of the person or events and to tell future generations about it. Mulyanto et al (2023) reported that mango trees are associated with religious importance and connotations in Indian religion. Mango tree is masquerade as Prajapati God in Hinduism religion, meaning the creator of the universe, its leaves are used to embellish and beautify the rooms during the wedding whereas its woods are used for burial ceremonies (Rana et al 2016).…”

Ethnobotanical Analysis of Phytonyms and Plant-Related Glosses Mentioned in Bujangga Manik, a Pre-Islamic Sundanese Text (15th Century Java, Indonesia)

“…There are studies on ethnobotanical aspect of ancient literary works from pre-Islamic Java (Jákl, 2015a;2015b;Hoogervorst & Jákl, 2020;Mulyanto et al, 2023). However, these works, similar to the majority of studies conducted on ancient Java, relied heavily on texts originating from Middle and East Java or Bali Island.…”