Mangifera casturi - Mascot of South Kalimantan

Mango kasturi, The Mascot South Kalimantan was already established as one of the plants' extinct in situ "(Extinct in the Wild). Kasturi That is, one species of mango into floral identity of South Kalimantan province have been extinct from their natural habitat.

Taxonamy :

Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Subphylum: Euphyllophytina
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Rosidae
Superorder: Rutanae
Order: Burserales
Family: Anacardiaceae
Subfamily: Anacardioideae
Genus: Mangifera
Specific epithet: casturi - Kosterm.
Botanical name: Mangifera casturi Kosterm.

Kasturi is the scientific (Latin) called Mangifera casturi, is one of about 31 types of mango that can be found in Kalimantan, Indonesia. In fact, mango in English but is called kasturi also called Kalimantan Mango is a plant endemic to Borneo. Unfortunately, IUCN redlist refers to him as Extinct in the Wild or extinct from their natural habitat.

Mangifera casturi have a tree that can reach 25 meters high with a trunk diameter of between 40-110 cm. Kasturi bark greyish white to light brown. Lancet-shaped leaves with a tapered tip. When the young leaves of dark purple kasturi. Fruits such as mangoes kasturi other smaller but weighing less than 80 grams.

There are three varieties namely kasturi kasturi, cuban, and tamarind pelipisan. Kasturi has rounded fruits such as mango small eggs, thin fruit skin is green when young and black spotty becomes blackish when old. Dark orange-colored flesh of the fruit. This variety has a more fragrant smell than other varieties.

The second variety, cuban (kastuba) has a rounded egg fruit, with a reddish rind, do not become black when old, skin of the fruit is easily separated from the fruit. Fruit orange-yellow flesh.

Varieties being third, tamarind fruit pilipisan or palipisan have menjorong flat, pale green with black spots, when parents stay green. The pulp is green orange yellow, fibrous much.

Mango species defined as a flora of South Kalimantan province of identity based on the decision of the Minister of Interior No. 48 of 1989 is an endemic plant that grows only in South Kalimantan alone. Kasturi can grow well in lowlands on alluvial soil and adequate water lateral.

Kasturi Extinct In Situ. Kasturi (Mangifera casturi) by IUCN Redlist included in the list of plant conservation status Extinct in the Wild or extinct in the wild (extinct in situ) since 1998. This species extinction caused by habitat destruction due to deforestation and forest encroachment.

Fortunately there are those who cultivate these plants in gardens and yards. Cultivation is mostly done by residents in the district Mataraman Banjar regency, South Kalimantan province. Even the mango has also been planted in several other areas.

Although still not extinct and is still cultivated, but the status Extinct in the Wild would be a great loss for the genetic diversity of flora Indonesia. Hopefully this is not followed kasturi status of plants (and animals) other.