vni, a, i Pratt and del Rosario: Philippine Fruits 67 



that contain a white, creamy pulp of sweet taste. The ates is of 

 considerable importance, and is the most widely grown anona in 

 the Philippines. The preceding species is of slightly more com- 

 mercial importance, as the proportion of edible pulp is greater 

 and better suited for canning or preserving. 



ANONA RETICULATA L. BULLOCK'S HEART; Anonas, Sp. Fil. 



A small tree with lanceolate, acuminate leaves 12 to 30 centi- 

 meters long, the flowers 1.5 to 3 centimeters long, leaf-opposed. 

 Fruit 7.5 to 15 centimeters long, aggregate, fleshy, heartshaped ; 

 the surface nearly smooth, greenish yellow, more or less reticu- 

 late; the flesh soft, yellowish- white, sweet. Native of tropical 

 America. 



This species is of only slight importance in the Islands, and 

 seldom reaches the market, although in Jamaica and the other 

 West Indian Islands the closely allied Anona cherimolia is held 

 in high esteem. There is no reason why anonas should not be 

 grown more abundantly here, since the flavor is good and the 

 fruit valuable. 



CAMIAS 



AVERRHOA BILIMBI L. Plate V, fig. 2. CAMIAS, CALAMIAS, T.; Pias, II. 



A small tree with pinnate, pubescent leaves, the leaflets up to 

 17 pairs, oblong, acuminate. Flowers purplish, small, racemose, 

 the racemes short, fascicled on the trunk and larger branches. 

 Fruit green, cylindric, 5 to 7 centimeters long, round or nearly 

 so in cross section, very acid. Tropical America. 



The small cucumber-like fruit is well known throughout the 

 Philippines, and is eaten green, pickled, especially with fish, and 

 preserved. The strong acidity is due to oxalic acid, making 

 the juice of use in removing ink stains or iron rust, and in 

 polishing brass ware. This and the closely related bilimbi are 

 the only fruits of importance containing oxalic acid, emphasizing 

 their position in the oxalis family. The confusion in calling A. 

 bilimbi the camias, and A. carambola the bilimbi is to be noted. 



BILIMBI 



AVERRHOA CARAMBOLA L. Plate VI, fig. 1. BlLIMBI, BlLIMBfN, Ba- 

 limbing, T.; Garangan, V.; Daligan, II. 



A small tree with pinnate glabrous leaves; the leaflets ovate, 

 about 5 pairs ; the small purplish flowers axillary. Fruit green, 

 acid, oblong-ovoid, 5 to 7 centimeters long, longitudinally 5-lobed, 

 star-shaped in cross section. Tropical America. 



