A tropical shrub or small tree native to Africa and Asia, grown for its ornamental flowers and edible red fruits, also known as the Natal plum.
From Sanskrit or Dravidian languages through Portuguese 'carissa'; the plant's name traveled along trade routes from South Asia to Europe. The etymology reflects centuries of botanical trade and cultural exchange between continents.
The carisa fruit looks like a tiny ruby when it ripens, and it contains so much vitamin C that it rivals oranges—yet most people in the Western world have never tasted one!
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