i just want to share my precious kalamansi,i planted this wayback 2005,one day i saw the seller selling it on the back of her motorcycle...the day i bought this kalamansi,im really so happy coz there's plenty of fruits so i thought of buying it,thinking that i can have my own kalamansi in an instant whenever i wanted because in taiwan it is actually very very rare and there,i transpered it into the ground...unfortunately, after transpering,the fruits didn't survive and till then i never got lucky to have this fruits that i really love....i said precious because after 4yrs of caring,loving and maintaining....i only got 5 fruits in 4yrs,hahaha... 1 fruit every year and this year i got lucky coz i got 2,hhehhehe(lucky right?) so here it is...
Precious kalamansi
Family • Rutaceae
Kalamansi
Citrus microcarpa
CHINESE ORANGE
Botany
A smooth and slightly spiny plant, growing to a height of 3 to 5 meters. Leaflets are elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 4 to 8 cm long. Petioles are narrowly and scarcely winged, about a cm long. Flowers are axillary, solitary, rarely in pairs, white, and short-stalked. Fruit is yellow when ripe, nearly spherical, 2 to 3.5 cm diameter, 6- to 7-celled, and thin-skinned. The skin or peel is green to yellowish green or yellow, loosely adhering to the flesh. The flesh contains a few light orange seeds.
Distribution
Widely cultivated in the Philippines. The species is native to the Philippines.
Constituents
Fruit: volatile oil, 0.9 to 1.06%.
Rind: Aldehydes; sesquiterpenes; beta-pinene; linalool; linalyl acetate; tannin; glucoside; cyanogenetic substances.
Properties
Antiseptic, antiphlogistic, carminative, deodorant, refrigerant.
Parts used and preparation
Fruit
Uses
Culinary and nutrition
It is fairly sour and is a popular seasoning for many local food.
Also used for making juice and marmalade.
Kalamnsi-ade a source of vitamin C
Condiment: Use rind and fruit.
Folkloric
Aromatic bath: Mix juice with gogo.
Cough, colds and sore throat: Drink warm kalamansi-ade.
Nausea and fainting: Squeeze rind near nostril to inhale.
Applied externally for itching.
In Malaysia, used as an antidote for poison.
Poultice of pandanus leaves, mixed with salt and juice of citrus microcarpa, for abscesses.
In Malaya, combined with pepper to help expel phlegm.
Root used at childbirth.
Others
Aromatic
Bleaching agent: Cut fruit and apply directly on freckles.
Juice is used to remove ink stains from clothes and washing women's hair.
Fruits crushed with bark of Entada phaseoloides used as hair shampoo, for itching and to stimulate hair growth. (Link)
Studies
• Antimicrobial properties of tropical plants against 12 pathogenic bacteria isolated from aquatic organisms: A study on the antibacterial activity of 9 tropical plants against 12 clinical and pathogenic bacterial strains including Vibrio cholera, Escherichia coli, Vibro parahemolytics, Salmonella and Streptococcus sp. showed activity against one or more species of bacteria. Citrus microcarpa was one of the most active.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
Perennial market produce.