Malaysia 2014 Fruits

60sen Nangka

Nangka ( Artocarpus heterophyllus ), known as jackfruit is a species of the mulberry family ( Moraceae ).  It is native to South and Southeast Asia.

Jackfruit is actually a compound fruit, capable to grow into large fruit.  The fruit is the largest tree-borned fruit, reaching as much as 40kg in weight, 50cm in diameter and 1m in length. 

Ripe jackfruit is naturally sweet with subtle aroma.  Ripe jackfruit is often consumed fresh, canned, and made into chips or candy.  Immature fruit is cooked, often with curry and other spices.  The seeds too are edible, consumed as snack when roasted or boiled.

80sen Durian 

Durian ( Durio zibethinus ) is of the Malvaceae family ( formerly Bombacaceae ).  It is native to Southeast Asia, and regarded as the ‘king of fruits’. 

Durio zibethinus is the most widely accepted species of the edible Durio species.   A durian fruit can grow up to 30cm in diameter and weights up to 3kg.   It is distinctively recognized for its strong odor and thorny husk.

Over the years, numerous durian cultivars were developed, and famous cultivars were propagated by clones.  In Malaysia, the cultivar have a common name and a code starting with a ‘D’ and followed with numeric characters, eg. D24, D99-Kop, D101, D123-Chanee, D145-Berserah, etc

Fresh ripen durian is best consumed fresh.  It can also made into dodol, ice kacang, pastry, tempoyak, chips, ice cream etc.  both ripe and unripe fruit, flower and seeds can be cooked and served with rice.

Despite its status as the ‘king of fruits’, durian is regarded as ‘unpleasantly’ by some.  Thus led to the fruit’s banishment from certain hotels, public transportation, aeroplane, hospitals, restaurants, etc.

RM1.20 Tembikai Wangi

Tembikai wangi ( Cucumis melo ), known as muskmelon or honeydew, is of the melon family ( Cucurbitaceae ).  It is native to the Middle East.  The common honeydew in Malaysia is actually the White Antibes cultivar from southern France.

There are many cultivar of Cucumis melo, mainly grouped into 3 Groups : cantalupensis, inodorus and reticulatus.   Honeydew belongs to the Inodorus group.

A honeydew has a round shape, about 20cm in diameter, weights about 2kg.   The peel is  smooth and yellow in colour.  The flesh is pale green, sweet and juicy.  Honeydew is mostly consumed fresh

RM1.40 Belimbing

Belimbing ( Averrhoa carambola ), known as starfruit, is of the wood shorrel family ( Oxalidaceae ).  It is native to South and Southeast Asia.

Belimbing fruit is about 15cm in length, yellow when ripen, with distinctive 5-angled shaped.  When cut in cross-section, it is shaped like a 5-pointed star, thus the name starfruit.  

The fruit is mainly consumed fresh.  The flesh is juicy, sweet and mildly acidic. 

postmark

The postmark depict the manggis ( Garcinia mangostana ), another fruit originated from Southeast Asia.   Manggis, or better known as mangosteen, is of the Clusiaceae family ( formerly known as Guttiferae ). 

Manggis fruit is of reddish-purple rind with showy green sepal.  The edible arils is sweet, fibrous, and juicy, covering a huge seed.  

Technical Details

Date of Issue: 17-July-2014

Stamps

Value: 60sen, 80sen, RM1.20 & RM1.40

Stamp size: 35mm x 35mm

Perforation: 14

Paper: SPM Watermarked, Phosphor Coated

Printing Process: Litography

Stamp Designer: Reign Associates Sdn Bhd

Printer: Percetakan Keselamatan Nasional Sdn Bhd

Stamp Sheet

Sheet Content: 20 stamps

First Day Cover

Value : 50sen

Folder

Value: RM6.00