1749

2: Edible fruits and nuts

Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels

EUPHORBIACEAE

Cicca acida Merr.

Otaheite gooseberry, Malay gooseberry (En). Indonesia: ceremoi (Aceh), cereme, cerme (Indonesian). Malaysia: chermai. Philippines: iba (Tagalog), bangkiling (Bisaya), karmay (Ilokano). Burma: thinbozi-hpyoo. Cambodia: kântûët. Laos: nhôm baanz. Thailand: mayom. Vietnam: chùm ruôt.

Origin perhaps in Madagascar, now naturalized and cultivated pantropically, also in South-East Asia.

The acid fruits are eaten raw (with sugar) or cooked and prepared in numerous ways. Refreshing drinks are prepared from the fruits. Young leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Bark of the root can be used in tanning. The root is a purgative, but infusions are used to alleviate asthma and skin diseases.

Shrub or tree, 2—9 m tall. Leaves ovate, 2—7 cm long, arranged like a pinnate leaf along the branches. Flowers male, female or hermaphrodite, 4-merous, rosy, arranged in up to 12 cm long panicles. Fruit a globose drupe, more or less 6—8-lobed, 1—2.5 cm diameter, yellow-white. Seeds 4—6. In tropical to subtropical climates, preferably on moist sites, up to 1000 m altitude. Propagation usually by seed, but also by budding or cutting.

[8]Brown, W.H., 1951–1957. Useful plants of the Philippines. Reprint of the 1941–1943 ed. 3 Volumes. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Technical Bulletin 10. Bureau of Printing, Manila, the Philippines.
[10]Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2nd ed. 2 Volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2444 pp.
[56]Morton, J.F., 1987. Fruits of warm climates. Creative Resource Systems Inc., Winterville, N.C., USA. 503 pp.
[72]Ridley, H.N., 1922–1925. The Flora of the Malay Peninsula. 5 Volumes. Government of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States. L. Reeve & Co., London.

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen

Jansen, P.C.M., Jukema, J., Oyen, L.P.A. & van Lingen, T.G., 1991. Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels. In: Verheij, E.W.M. and Coronel, R.E. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 2: Edible fruits and nuts. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea