266 A FLORA OF MANILA 
1. B. sensitivum ¢L.) DC. Macahia (Tag.). 
Stems up to 30 cm high, usually shorter. Leaves numerous, crowded at 
the apex of the stem, 5 to 12 long, the leaflets 8 to 14 pairs, the upper ones 
gradually increasing in size, 1.5 cm long or less, oblong to oblong-obovate, 
often somewhat curved, apex rounded or apiculate. Peduncles numerous, 
usually about as long as the leaves. Flowers many, crowded at the apices 
of the peduncles, shortly pedicelled. Sepals subulate-lanceolate, striate, 
about 7 mm long. Petals yellow. Capsules shorter than the persistent 
calyx. 
San Pedro Macati, Pasay, etc., in dry places, fl. Aug.—Oct., and probably 
in other months; widely distributed in the Philippines at low and medium 
altitudes. Tropical Asia, Africa, and America. 
8. AVERRHOA Linnaeus 
Small trees. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate, the leaflets opposite or 
nearly so; stipules none. Flowers small, regular, in panicled cymes, either 
axillary or from the trunk and larger branches. Sepals 5, imbricate. 
Petals 5, contorted. Stamens 10, united at the base, all perfect or 5 without 
anthers. Ovary 5-lobed, 5-celled; styles 5, distinct; stigmas capitate; 
ovules numerous. Fruit fleshy, oblong, cylindric or longitudinally 5-lobed. 
Seeds naked or arillate, albumen scanty, fleshy; embryo straight. (In 
honor of Averrhoés, latinized form of Ibn-Roshd, an Arabian philosopher.) 
Three or four species in tropical America, two now widely distributed in 
the tropics in cultivation, both found in the Philippines. 
Inflorescence mostly axillary; leaflets usually 5 pairs, glabrous; fruit with 
5 sharp lobes, star-shaped in cross-section.....................--- 1. A. carambola 
Inflorescence on the trunk and larger branches; leaflets 10 to 17 pairs, pu- 
bescent; fruit cylindric or with 5 obscure rounded lobes.... 2. A. bilimbi 
1. A. CARAMBOLA L. Bilimbing (Sp.-Fil.). 
A shrub or small tree 6 m high or less. Leaves pinnate, about 15 cm 
long; leaflets quite glabrous, usually about 5 pairs, ovate to ovate-lanceo- 
late, acuminate, the upper ones about 5 cm long, the lower ones smaller. 
Panicles small, axillary, usually about 3 em long. Flowers 5 to 6 mm 
long, somewhat campanulate. Calyx reddish-purple. Petals pale-purple 
to rather bright-purple, often margined with white. Stamens 10, the 5 
shorter ones usually without anthers. Fruit fleshy, green, or greenish- 
yellow usually about 6 cm long, with 5 longitudinal, sharp, angular lobes, 
acid, edible. Seeds arillate. (Fl. Filip. pl. 139.) 
Rather common in cultivation, fl. most of the year. Widely distributed 
in the Philippines and throughout the tropics, a native of tropical America. 
Curiously when this species was introduced into the Philippines it appears 
to have received the common name used for A. bilimbi L. in most other 
countries, which error has persisted. 
2. A. BILIMBI L. Camias, Iba (Tag.). 
A small tree 5 to 12 m high. Leaves pinnate, 20 to 60 cm long, the 
rachis and leafiets pubescent; leaflets 10 to 17 pairs, oblong, acuminate, 
5 to 10 cm long. Panicles from the trunk and larger branches, usually 
fascicled, pubescent, 15 em long or less. Flowers about 1.5 cm long, some- 
what fragrant. Calyx pubescent. Corolla purple, often marked with white. 
Fruit subcylindric or with 5, obscure, broad, rounded, longitudinal lobes, 
green, acid, edible, about 4cm long. Seeds not arillate. (FI. Filip. pl. 138.) 
