swingle: new genus of citrous fruits 577 



THE RUSSELL RIVER LIME 



The largest and most striking member of the genus is the Russell 

 River lime, discovered only a few decades ago by Archibald Meston.^ 

 It is native to the Bellenden-Ker region of North Queensland. 



4. Microcitrus inodora (Bail.) Swingle. 



Citrus inodorus Bail. Bot. Bellenden-Ker Exped., in Report of the 

 Government Scientific Expedition to Bellenden-Ker Range, 34. 

 1889. 

 Citrus inodora Bail. Third Suppl. Syn. Queensl. Fl., 12. 1890. 

 Tyfe locality: ''Harvey's Creek, Russell. River, " Nares County, 

 Queensland, Australia, 



Illustration: Bail. Queensl. Fl. 1: -pi. 10. 1899. 



This species is remarkable for having very large leaves, while its 

 congeners are small-leaved. Its leaves are lanceolate or ovate-lanceo- 

 late, 7.5-18 cm. long and 4-6.5 cm. wide. In spite of the large size of the 

 leaves the petioles are very short, only 3-5 mm. long, wingless, and, to 

 judge by an excellent specimen collected by Meston in the type locality 

 and sent to the writer by Prof. F. M. Bailey, not articulated with the 

 blade of the leaf. Nothing is known as to the character of the juve- 

 nile foliage. The flowers are said to be odorless. They are small, 

 like those of the other species of Microcitrus, but have more numerous 

 stamens (over 30). The fruits are unique among true citrous fruits, 

 being ribbed; they are oval or oblong in outline, 5 — ^6.5 X 3.2 cm., 

 and have a pulp of a sharp agreeable acid flavor. 



Although undoubtedly related to the other species of Microcitrus, 

 M. inodora nevertheless departs widely in several important charac- 

 ters. It is greatly to be desired that additional and more complete 

 material be secured in order to determine the exact relationship of this 

 aberrant species. 



UTILIZATION OF MICROCITRUS 



Young plants of the finger lime, showing the juvenile foliage arranged 

 in several successive tiers somewhat like a young Auracaria plant, are 

 very ornamental and should become better known for decorative pur- 

 poses. Both the finger lime and the dooja are of promise for hedge 

 plants, as they are very spiny and can be grown from cuttings. The 

 dooja grows vigorously enough to deserve trial as a stock upon which 

 to graft the common citrous fruits. 



5 Meston, Archibald. Expedition to the Bellenden-Ker Range. Report to 

 the Minister for Lands, Queensland, A. C. 36-1904, 3. 1904. 



