[2] It is a small tree or shrub that grows 5 to 12 m (16 to 39 ft) tall, with rose to red-purple flowers.

The Oxalis family has nearly 900 species; most are herbaceous perennials or annuals native from tropical and semitropical locations, although a number also grow in other parts of the world.

The fruits of A. bilimbi and the sour forms—which have high oxalic acid content—of A. carambola are pickled and made into jelly, jam, and juice.

[citation needed] The genus was named after Abū 'l-Walīd Muḥammad bin Aḥmad bin Rushd (better known just as Ibn Rushd), who was called Averroes in European literature - a famous Arabian physician,[4] astronomer and philosopher of the 12th century.

[4] In English it is called star fruit, five-corner or carambola,[7] in Malaysia and the Philippines it has numerous names.

The juicy fruits are yellow inside when ripe and have a crisp texture and when cut in cross-section are star-shaped.

In the case of the Averrhoa carambola plant it takes about 20 seconds for the leaves to move from their horizontal position to vertical.

So when the chloride and potassium move out of the cells, the water will flux out which results in the leaves facing vertically.

This information was obtained through Yahyai's research on the starfruit tree's response to differing soil water depletion levels.

The leaf moving to a position that makes it parallel to the light source is important because the leaves will not be directly facing the sun.

This information was found through recording sun to leaf area exposure, canopy diameter, and root growth.

[14]The center of diversity and the original range of Averrhoa carambola is tropical Southeast Asia, where it is cultivated since ancient times.

In addition to being eaten, the fruit is used in traditional Asian medicine to treat chickenpox, intestinal parasites, headaches, and other illnesses.

The plant is grown in Malaysia and Taiwan, with smaller concentrations in Thailand, Israel, The United States, Brazil, Philippines, China, Australia, Indonesia and the warmer parts of India and other areas of the world with the same climate.

[20] Like several other plants of the family Oxalidaceae, its fruits are rich in oxalic acid, which is toxic in high concentrations.

[citation needed] There have been reports of intoxication in dialysis and uremic patients caused by a neurotoxin called caramboxin[21][22] present in the fruit.