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Averrhoa bilimbi
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Family:
OXALIDACEAE
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Citation: Averrhoa bilimbi L., Sp. Pl. 428. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 439. 1874; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 56. 1982; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 89. 1989; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 99. 1990; Manna in Hajra et al., Fl. India 4: 256. 1997; N.P. Balakr. & W. Arisdason in P. Daniel, Fl. Kerala 1: 566. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 149. 2009.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Bilibi, Bilimbi, Chemmeenpuli, Chimbili, Irumbampuli, Keerichakka, Pulinchi, Vilimbi
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Bilimbi, Cucumber tree, Tree Sorrel, Kamias, Belimbing buloh
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Description:
Tree, to 15 m tall; young parts pale yellow to rusty-velvety. Leaves usually terminally tufted; rachises 15-55 cm long; leaflets 5-19 pairs, variable, acute to acuminate at apex, to 12 x 4 cm; lateral nerves 6-14 pairs. Panicles cauliflorous from tubercles on main trunk to ground level and on main leafless branches, fascicled and pendulous, to 18 cm long, rarely axillary; solitary and erect; pedicels 4-15 mm long; jointed near middle. Sepals elliptic to lanceolate or spatulate, acute or obtuse, 3-8 x 1.5-3 mm, sparsely puberulous outside near base, yellowish green to purplish green. Petals free, lanceolate-spatulate, 10-20 x 3-4 mm, glabrous inside, dark pink; claw 3-6 mm long. Stamens all fertile; filaments 2-12 mm long, unequal. Ovary ellipsoid, ca 4 mm long, densely appressed-pale-strigose; ovules 4-7 in each locule; styles to 9 mm long. Fruits cylindric, obtuse, obtusely angled, to 10 x 5 cm; seeds to 14, 6-7 x 4-6 mm, exarillate.
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Habit:
Tree
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Flowering & Fruiting:
March-May
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District(s):
All Districts
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Cultivated
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Distribution:
Native of Malaysia, cultivated in other Tropical countries
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Red, Brown
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
Yes
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
Yes
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Vegetable:
Yes
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
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Localities:
Aroor
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