Strange fruit called Mak Yong

[jcb2001]

Over the years here in Ubon, I have come across a strange fruit my wife calls "Mak Yong".  When ripe, usually around May or June, it contains a tart and sweet tasting flavor. It has several pea size seeds inside.  It is yellow when ripe and about the size of a thai eggplant, "macure".  You only eat the inside and throw the skin away after eating.  I have a feeling this fruit only grows here in Ubon as nobody else can identify it.

 

I am curious if anybody else has seen or know what this fruit is?  I've tried to explain it to other thais knowledgable about Thai fruits, but this one stumps them.  I am lost for words with the proper name of this fruit.

 

Hope someone can identify this rare fruit.

[sirmud63]

pretty hard without a photo mate .

by the sound of it may be a loquat.??

[Seligne2]

Look here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Thai_ingredients#Fruits_and_nuts

[katana]

Looks like it might be หมากยางป่า (บักยางป่า in Isan dialect).
See eg http://oknation.nationtv.tv/blog/t-vee/2010/09/17/entry-1, where there's a photo of the yellow fruits halfway down the page.
There are also some pics here: https://board.postjung.com/637148.html

 

[jcb2001]

That's it.  You identified it.  Thanks so much.

 

I have only seen it growing in the forest.  I have tried several times to plant the seeds and grow them in my yard, but to no avail.  Is anyone aware of these grown commercially?  

[katana]

The Thai article I saw said it grows mainly in Isan and is in danger of extinction.

Even many Thais outside NE Thailand apparently don't know this particular fruit.

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, jcb2001 said:

 I have tried several times to plant the seeds and grow them in my yard, but to no avail.

It is possible the seeds were not mature. In order for the seeds to be good the fruit needs to ripen fully on tree/plant they are growing on.

[jcb2001]

That is an excellent Thai article you found.  My Thai brother-in-law was astonished at all the old fruits listed on that website.  He agrees many of those fruits are near extinction now.  The jungles around our home just keep getting smaller and smaller.  So sad!

  

 

 

[katana]

Hi,

The first link seems to have a comma at the end which you'll need to remove to get it to load properly.

[katana]

Apparently it's scientific name is Willughbeia edulis Roxb.
http://www.phargarden.com/main.php?action=viewpage&pid=214

 

Willughbeia edulis is a large climbing shrub producing stems up to 30 metres long that climb into the surrounding vegetation.
The woody shoots attach themselves to other plants for support by means of hooked, leafless branchlets. The edible fruit is appreciated locally, being commonly harvested from the wild. The plant also yields a latex with medicinal applications. It is occasionally cultivated.
Known hazards: none
http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Willughbeia+edulis

 

Yang means rubber in Thai hence presumably the yang part to the name.

[jcb2001]

Another great article.  It's amazing you found all this info.  I have searched hi and low for anything on this plant.  I have a Thai friend who works for CBP agriculture in the states and she has never heard of this fruit.  I have forwarded all the info you provided to CBP. There is a large population of plants behind my home here in Ubon, but I'm afraid they will be cut down in the near future.  If only the Thais had just a little bit of concern for saving these rare and exotic fruits.  I just hope someone can come forward and carry the torch for preserving them.

Edited February 14, 2017 by jcb2001
Grammer error

[elgenon]

My family's first house in California had loquat trees. Not so rare there.

[Bill Miller]

2 hours ago, elgenon said:

My family's first house in California had loquat trees. Not so rare there.

Interesting, I guess, but the fruit the OP is asking about are not loquats, if the ID as Willughbeia  is correct
Loquats are  Eriobotrya japonica .
From a Wiki article about Willughbeia:
"The fruit can be found in India, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Chanthaburi Province of Thailand. The roots can be used as a red dye.^[1] It is used medicinally in parts of Asia including Cambodia."
Sounds like they are not in immediate danger of extinction, on the plus side..

[featography]

Mayong chid not sure if this is 1, 2 or 3 words.

also known as Marian plum

[featography]

On 2/12/2017 at 5:22 AM, katana said:

Looks like it might be หมากยางป่า (บักยางป่า in Isan dialect).
See eg http://oknation.nationtv.tv/blog/t-vee/2010/09/17/entry-1, where there's a photo of the yellow fruits halfway down the page.
There are also some pics here: https://board.postjung.com/637148.html

 

This is Makyang pa because of the white sticky part. The Mak yang chid with the seeds is different.

 

 

[jcb2001]

21 hours ago, featography said:

This is Makyang pa because of the white sticky part. The Mak yang chid with the seeds is different.

 

Interesting!  Do you have the scientific name for Makyang pa?  Are you saying they are two different species?

Edited February 16, 2017 by jcb2001
spell checker

[madusa]

On 2017/2/11 at 7:07 AM, sirmud63 said:

pretty hard without a photo mate .

by the sound of it may be a loquat.??

Loquat can't be that big, it's the size of an eggplant he said.

[featography]

On 2/16/2017 at 6:49 PM, jcb2001 said:

Interesting!  Do you have the scientific name for Makyang pa?  Are you saying they are two different species?

My Thai wife says we.re talking 2 different fruits. Of course she doesnt know the name of either one in English, and I can only find loquat in english, wikipedia. Scientific name is Eriobotrya japonica

[dfdgfdfdgs]

Fruit in the picture isn't anything like a loquat or marian plum.  As stated Latin name is Willughbeia Edulis Roxb.

 

I found this last week in the jungle at Khao Lak National Park (Phang Nga) so it's in the south of Thailand too.

 

Really tasty fruit.