The mango (plural mangoes or mangos) (Hindi:आम, Marathi:आंबा, Sanskrit:आम्र, Malayalam: മാങ്ങ) is a tropical fruit of the mango tree. Mangoes belong to the genus Mangifera which consists of about 30 species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The exact origins of the mango are unknown, but most believe that it is native to Southern and Southeast Asia owing to the wide range of genetic diversity in the region and fossil records dating back 25 to 30 million years.Mangoes retain a special significance in the culture of South Asia where they have been cultivated for millennia. It has been the national fruit of India, Bangladesh and Philippines. Reference to mangoes as the "food of the gods" can be found in the Hindu Vedas and the leaves are ritually used for floral decorations at Hindu marriages and religious ceremonies.
