430 MANUAL OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS 



color, 3 to 5 inches long, and three-, four-, or five-ribbed longi- 

 tudinally, so that a cross-section is star-shaped. "It contains 

 a clear watery pulp," writes W. E. Safford, "astringent when 

 green and tasting like sorrel or green gooseberries, but pleasantly 

 acid when ripe, or even sweet, with an agreeable fruity flavor, 

 and a strong perfume like that of the quince." 



While the native home of this species is not definitely known, 

 it is believed to be indigenous to the Malayan region, whence 

 it was early brought to America. It is now cultivated in 

 southern China, and from there westward to India. Safford 

 states that it grows in Guam, but is not common. It also 

 grows in the Philippines and in Hawaii. In America it is 

 most abundant in Brazil, where it was doubtless introduced 

 by the Portuguese. It does not grow in California, but succeeds 

 in southern Florida. E. N. Reasoner has a handsome specimen 

 in his tropical fruit shed at Oneco, near Bradentown, a place 

 which would be too cold for the species were it not given some 

 protection during the winter. It is rare on the lower east 

 coast of Florida. 



The name carambola is said to have come from Malabar, and 

 was early adopted by the Portuguese. In upper India the fruit 

 is called kamranga or kamrakh. The presence of a Sanskrit 

 name, karmara, and the accounts of early writers, indicate 

 that the plant was known in India before the time of European 

 colonization. The Chinese are said to call the fruit yongfo 

 or foreign peach. In the Philippines it is termed balimbing 

 as well as carambola; in Guam bilimbines. 



The fruits, when fully ripe, are eaten out of hand, or they 

 may be stewed. When slightly unripe they are used for jelly 

 and pickles. Like the bilimbi, the carambola contains potas- 

 sium oxalate, and for this reason the unripe fruit is used in 

 dyeing and to remove iron-rust. In southern China caram- 

 bolas are preserved in tin and exported to other countries. An 

 analysis made in Hawaii by Alice R. Thompson shows the 



