Bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi)
Description
Averrhoa bilimbi (commonly known as bilimbi, cucumber tree, or tree sorre) is a fruit-bearing tree of the genus Averrhoa, family Oxalidaceae. It is a close relative of the carambola tree. A. bilimbi is a small tropical tree native to Indonesia and Malaysia, reaching up to 15m in height[3]. It is often multitrunked, quickly dividing into ramifications. Bilimbi leaves are alternate, pinnate, measuring approximately 30-60cm in length. Each leaf contains 11-37 leaflets; ovate to oblong, 2-10 cm long and 1-2cm wide and cluster at branch extremities. The leaves are quite similar to those of the Otaheite gooseberry. The tree is cauliflorous with 18–68 flowers in panicles that form on the trunk and other branches. The flowers are heterotristylous, borne in a pendulous panicle inflorescence. There flower is fragrant, corolla of 5 petals 10–30 mm long, yellowish green to reddish purple. The fruit is ellipsoidal, elongated, measuring about 4 - 10 cm and sometimes faintly 5-angled. The skin, smooth to slightly bumpy, thin and waxy turning from light green to yellowish-green when ripe. The flesh is crisp and the juice is sour and extremely acidic and therefore not typically consumed as fresh fruit by itself. Fruit is often preserved and used as a popular flavouring/seasoning and is a key ingredient in many Indonesian dishes such as sambal belimbing wuluh and asam sunti (see Culinary interest). A. bilimbi holds great value in complementary medicine (see Medical interest) as evidenced by the substantial amount of research on it. According to traditional Indonesian/Malaysian knowledge, the trunk and branches of tree require exposure to sunlight to initiate flowering/fruiting, which can be assisted by removing leaves from the inner canopy.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Oxalidales
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Family: Oxalidaceae
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Genus: Averrhoa
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