Kalamansi
Citrus × microcarpa · Calamansi
- Names in the book
- English: Chinese Orange; Tagalog: Kalamonding, Kalamansi, Sintonis, Aldonisis; Visayan: Calamonding
- Used for
- SkinBites and stings
- Colours
- flowerwhitefruitgreen, orange
- Native range
- A hybrid citrus long grown in the Philippines and nearby Southeast Asia
- Family
- Rutaceae
- Printed as
- Citrus microcarpa Bunge
- Sources
- Healing Wonders of Herbs (1985), page 88 · Wikipedia
The plant today
Calamansi (Citrus × microcarpa), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is a citrus hybrid cultivated predominantly in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines; extending southwards to nearby parts of Indonesia (Borneo, Sumatra, and Sulawesi), Malaysia, and Brunei; and northwards to Taiwan and tropical regions of southern China (mainly Hainan). Calamansi is ubiquitous in traditional Philippine cuisine. It is naturally very sour, and is used in various condiments, beverages, dishes, marinades, and preserves. Calamansi is also used as an ingredient in Malaysian and Indonesian cuisines.
Excerpt from “Calamansi” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sa Tagalog
Ang kalamansi (Citrus × microcarpa), kalamunding, o aldonisis ay hibridong sitrus na may kahalagahang pang-ekonomiya na karaniwang itinatanim sa Pilipinas. Katutubo ito sa Pilipinas, Borneo, Sumatra, at Sulawesi (Indonesya, Malaysia, at Brunei) sa Timog-silangang Asya; pati na rin sa timog Tsina at Taiwan sa Silangang Asya. Malaganap ang kalamansi sa tradisyonal na lutuing Pilipino.
Sipi mula sa “Kalamansi” sa Tagalog Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Recorded in the Philippines
GBIF holds 87 records of this plant from the Philippines. The ones with map coordinates fall in 25 provinces, most often Zamboanga del Norte (28), Isabela (5), Benguet (4), Cebu (3), Guimaras (3), Lanao del Norte (3), Oriental Mindoro (3), Davao del Sur (2), and 17 more.
Counts from GBIF occurrence records, October 2026. They include planted trees and garden plants, and a province with no records may only lack collectors.
What the 1985 book uses it for
A record of home remedies from 1985, with the book's amounts and doses reworded. It is not medical advice.
- Bee and wasp stingsJuice rubbed on the sting.Rub on at once and keep on until the pain eases. Vinegar is given as the alternative.Page 16
- Pimples or acneJuice mixed with mashed ripe papaya, put on the face.Three tablespoons of mashed ripe papaya to about a tablespoon of juice. Leave on the washed face for 30 minutes, or overnight if the skin tolerates it.Page 34
- Underarm body odorJuice mixed with powdered alum or buyo leaf juice.One tablespoon of powdered alum to the juice of 1 or 2 kalamansi. Apply after every bath.Page 43
Summarised from Herminia de Guzman-Ladion, Healing Wonders of Herbs (Manila: Philippine Publishing House, 1985), where this plant is shown as “Kalamansi” on page 88. The book is in copyright, so its wording and photographs are not reproduced. Amounts are the book's, restated.
Recent research
The most cited papers since 2022 that name this plant in the title, pulled from Europe PMC in October 2026. Titles are the authors' own and the findings have not been reviewed here.
- Effect of Calamansi Pulp Ethanol Extracts on the Meat Quality and Biogenic Amine Formation of Pork Patty during Refrigerated Storage
- Evaluation on the phenotypic diversity of Calamansi (Citrus microcarpa) germplasm in Hainan island
- Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activities of Citrus hystrix, Citrus limon, Citrus pyriformis, and Citrus microcarpa Leaf Essential Oils against Human Cervical Cancer Cell Line