Phyllanthus acidus

Phyllanthus acidus is an intermediary between a shrub and tree, reaching 2 to 9 m (6½ to 30 ft) high. The tree's dense and bushy crown is composed of thickish, tough main branches, at the end of which are clusters of deciduous, greenish, 15-to-30-cm long branchlets. The branchlets bear alternate leaves that are ovate or lanceolate in form, with short petioles and pointed ends. The leaves are 2–7.5 cm long and thin, they are green and smooth on the upperside and blue-green on the underside. In general, the Otaheite gooseberry tree very much looks like the bilimbi tree. The flowers can be male, female or hermaphrodite. ==Origin and distribution==

This tropical or subtropical species is found throughout Asia and also in the Caribbean region, Central and South America. In Puerto Rico is called "Grosella". While its origin is uncertain, the species may have originated in Madagascar. It was found in other parts of South Asia early; according to Eduardo Quisumbing, it was brought to the Philippines in prehistoric times. It spread across the Indian Ocean to Réunion and Mauritius and crossed the Pacific to Hawaii. It expanded to the Caribbean in 1793, when William Bligh carried the plant from Timor to Jamaica. The tree is common in Guam, Micronesia (where it is called ceremai or cerama), Southern Vietnam (called chùm ruột), Laos, Cambodia (called kantuot /កន្ទួត),northern Peninsular Malaysia (called cerme and cermai), India (called - (Tamil-தமிழ்-[அரை நெல்லிக்காய்], chalmeri, harpharoi), Nellikai in Kannada, Laheri (Kokborok) Harfi, Arunellikai, Abazhanga, Nellipuli (Malayalam-നെല്ലിപുളി), Usiri(in Telugu-ఉసిరి), Khatamada, Arinelli, Bimbool, Arinellika, Kiru Nerle, Mara Nelli, Amla, Gihori (Manipuri), Nōṛa (Bengali-নোড়) in West Bengal and Bangladesh and rosavale (in Konkani) in Goa) and RayAwala रायआवळा in Marathi and Goanbili ގޯނބިލި Divehi Maldives. It is still found in the Philippines (called iba in Tagalog and karmay in Ilokano), and if not widely, in Cambodia (called kantuet) and Thailand (called mayom). In Grenada, the fruit is called a damsel. In St. Lucia, the fruit is known as "see-wet". In the United States, it is found in Hawaii, and occasionally southern parts of Texas, Florida. It is also found in Puerto Rico (where the fruit is called grosella), Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname (where it's also called grosella, as well as ronde, birambi or guinda depending on the region), US Virgin Islands, Peru and Brazil. == Cultivation ==

The Otaheite gooseberry prefers moist soil. but also for food and medicinal purposes. While it produces some fruit throughout the year, it is mainly harvested in January except in South India, where it bears crops in April–May and again in August–September. == Nutrition ==

P. acidus contains 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, adenosine, kaempferol and hypogallic acid. == Uses ==

Culinary Various parts of the plant are used for food. In Bangladesh, India and Indonesia, the cooked leaves are eaten. The syrup is used to medicate the stomach, and in India the fruit is eaten as a blood-enhancer for the liver; Materials While the wood is strong and durable if properly treated, the tree is not large and is rarely harvested for wood. ==References==