A tree attaining a height of 7.5 to 9 meters, with comparatively
small but sharp spines; leaves 9 to 12 centimeters long, 27 to 40
millimeters broad, broadly elliptical to ovate, crenate, rather thin;
base rounded or broadly acute; apex acutely blunt pointed; petioles
35 to 60 millimeters long, broadly winged, up to 40 millimeters wide;
wing area sometimes exceeding leaf area; flowers small, 12 to 13
millimeters in diameter, white, with a trace of purple on the outside,
2 to 5, in axillary or terminal cymes; petals 4; stamens free, equal,
15 to 17; ovary obovoid, locules 6 to 8; style slender, distinct; fruit
5 to 7 centimeters long, 3 to 4 centimeters in transverse diameter,
averaging 26 grams in weight, obovate to oblong-obovate, somewhat
compressed towards base; apex blunt pointed; surface fairly smooth
or with transverse corrugations, lemon yellow; skin comparatively
thick; pulp rather juicy, grayish, acid; aroma similar to that of the
samuyao; juice cells short and blunt to long, slender and pointed,
sometimes containing a minute, greenish nucleus; seeds many, flat,
pointed, more or less reticulate.
The biasong has been collected in Cebu, Bohol, Dumaguete, Negros, and
in the Zamboanga and Misamis Provinces in Mindanao, in all of which
it is sparingly cultivated. The flowers were described from material
collected in Bohol in May. Ripe fruit has been obtained in May, June,
August, November, and February, indicating that the species is more
or less everbearing. The fruit is used by the native inhabitants as
a hair wash, is not eaten, and is of no economic importance.
Particularly noticeable in the biasong are the small flowers,
with less stamens than any other species, and the oblong-obovate,
few-loculed fruits.
The "balincolong," by the Filipinos regarded as quite a different
fruit, found in Bohol and in Misamis, Mindanao, is a more robust tree
attaining a height of 12 meters, and has longer wings and thicker
leaves, with smoother fruits which sometimes are almost round, but
these differences scarcely justify this form to rank as a subspecies
even. Beginning in May, the balincolong (1982) has bloomed continuously
at Lamao until date of writing (Dec. 18).
Biasong, B. A. No. 2502, 4829 (Bohol), Balincolong, No. 4834 (Bohol),
1981, 1982 (Misamis, Mindanao).
Citrus micrantha var. microcarpa. Samuyao.
(Pl. VIIb.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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