Calamansi

Overview

Calamansi is a natural hybrid of citrus. It is said to be a progeny of mandarin and kumquat. The valid name is still uncertain. Therefore, the origin and distribution of cultivation area are unclear. However, some references stated that the plant is widely cultivated in South Asia (India) to SouthEast Asia. It also introduced into east asia (Japan), Australia, and tropical America.

Vernacular Names

Calamondin (French), Hazara (India), Kalamansi (Philippines), Manao wan (Thailand), Jeruk Kasturi (Indonesia), Karamonjin (Japanese), Limau kesturi (Malaysia), Gan (Chinese).

Agroecology

Calamansi is best grown in warm ciimate with annual precipitation 1,500-2,000 mm. This plant is sun loving with daily temperature ranged around 25-38°C. This fruit plant mainly cultivated in lowland and well-drained soil along sandy loam or clay loam soil type and rich in organic matter with moderate soil pH. This plant is mostly drought and cold-tolerant but not to frost and strong wind.

Morphology

• Roots - long and deep taproots.
• Stem - slender and slightly spiny with upright branches.
• Leaves - alternate, elliptic to obovate, 3-8 cm x 1-4 cm. The base is acute, slightly crenate margins, glossy dark green above, pale green below, and aromatic when crushed, leaf stalk is about 1 cm long and narrowly marginate.
• Flowers - inflorescences are axillary 1-3 flowers, white and fragrant with 2 cm wide. The sepal is 5-toothed, 5 petals that are elliptic-oblong with 1-2 cm long, has 20 stamens, the filaments are united in a tube.
• Fruits - nearly globular to spherical berry, up to 4.5 cm in diameter, greenish yellow to orange-red rind, with 0-11 seeds.
• Seeds - small, obovoid, plump and usually polyembryonic.

Cultivation

• It can be propagated by seeds, by cuttings of half-ripe wood and layering.
• The seed is best sown in containers as soon as it ripe after thoroughly rinsing it.
• Germination usually takes place within 2-3 weeks at 13 °C.

Chemical Constituents

Flavonoids, carotenoids, limonine, diosmin, dehydroascorbic acid, ascorbic acid, sesquiterpenes-heycaryol, quercetin, steroids, polyphenols, alkaloids, synepherine.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

Chemical Constituents

• Studies have suggested antimicrobial, antianxiety, antidepressant, hepatoprotective, expectorant, antioxidant properties.

Traditional Uses

• The juice is used to treat skin irritations, for Acne vulgaris and Pruritis vulvae, as a cough remedy, an antiphlogistic, laxative, and when combined with pepper, it is prescribed to expel phlegm.
• Fruits crushed with bark of Entada phaseoloides used as hair shampoo, for itching and to stimulate hair growth.
• In Malaysia, used as an antidote for poison.
• The roots are used for a traditional treatment at childbirth.
• The distilled oil of the leaves is used to cure flatulence.
• Warm kalamansi-ade drunk for cough, colds and sore throat.