Citrus EUTACE/E 187 



Lime. 



Cultivated and spontaneous ; probably native of India. 



Shrub or tree to 15 or 20 ft. high ; branches armed with spines in the 

 leaf-axils. Flowers axillary, solitary, or 2-10 in clusters or short racemes. 

 Calyx with 4-5 acute teeth, about 4 mm. 1. Petals 4-5, oblong-lanceolate, 

 white or pale pink, 1-1 '5 cm. 1. Stamms about 25, united in a number of 

 groups. Ovary 0-10-celled. Fruit, juice-cells small, slender, pointed. 

 Seeds small, ellipsoidal, pointed. 



This species forms a good fence when well pruned. The fruit is picked 

 and used green before it is ripe. The juice is considered to be purer and 

 superior to that of the lemon, and is looked upon as an indispensable 

 addition to many dishes, and is also used in the laundry ; it is the chief 

 source of citric acid, so important in the dyeing industry, and is of con- 

 siderable value from a medicinal point of view. The young fruits, or the 

 rind only of older fruits, are preserved in sugar and are eaten as a sweet- 

 meat to aid digestion. 



Bonavia (Oranges &c. 80-89) considers that the "lima" of Ceylon, with 

 large petiolar wings and warty thick-skinned fruit, is the wild form of the 

 lime. This "lima" is the Limo ventricosns (Lemon Purrut) of Rumf 

 (Amboin. ii. 102, t. 26, f. 1, probably f. 3 is only a smooth form of the same). 

 The following forms given by Rumf, viz. L. agrestis (Lemon Papeda) ii. 104, 

 t. 27, L.ferus (Lemon Swangi) ii. 106, t. 28, L. aurarius (Lemon Maas) 

 ii. 109, t. 30, seem to be only forms of L. ventricosiis ; while in his Limon- 

 cllus or Limo tennis (Lemon Nipis) ii. 107, t. 29, we have the form selected 

 for cultivation, the " lime," with small petiolar wings and smooth pleasantly 

 acid fruit. Even if this view be not accepted, Christmann certainly includes 

 the common lime in his name Limonia aurantifolia. 



4. C. Aurantium L. Sp. PI 782 (1753) (in part) : leaflet 

 oblong-elliptical, with a faint characteristic scent, 714 cm. L, 

 apex acute or somewhat acuminate, sometimes obtuse, margin 

 entire or slightly crenulate-serrate ; petiole usually with a narrow 

 oblanceolate wing ; fruit globular or somewhat flattened at top 

 and bottom, 6-9 cm. in diam., usually with solid core, rind closely 

 fitting, usually thin, smooth or slightly rough, pulp abundant, 

 sweet and subacicl, yellow or red (in blood-orange). fiisso in 

 Ann. ]\Jns. Par. xx. 181 & Orang. t. 3-29 ; Tussac FL Ant. Hi. 

 /. 14 ; Griseb. loc. cit. (in part) ; Hook. f. loc. cit. (excl. vars.} ; 

 Bentl. <( Trim. Jlefl PL t. 51 ; Hume Citrus t. 4 <('/. 15 ; P. TH7x. 

 torn. cit. 223 ; Bonavia op. cit. 19, t. 40-58. C. sinensis 0-/" </.- 

 Dcifjlok Ostind. Rcsa 41 (1757) (name only) & Erisr Ostiinl. 

 Cli'ma 250 (1765), jide Swingle op. cit. 148. C. Aurantium var. 

 dulcis \Vriijltt Mr, a. 203 ; Mucf. in Hodk.Bot. Mi*c. i. .';<>! A: Jam. 

 i. 12*. .Mains Aurantia sinciisis Sl<>aui> Cat. 211 & 7//W. //. 1*1. 

 C. fructu sphrerk-o. . . dulci &c. Br<urn<' Hist. Jain. 309. Auran- 

 tium sinense Mil/' r (iiinl. Diet. r<I. * (17'*). Leaves of both 

 C. An rii nt in i, i L. A: (.'. rulijarix Risso are inclmlcil on the same 

 sheet in Herb. Linn, and named Aurantium by Linnn-us. 



O r a 1 1 



Cultivated and spontaneous ; native of China and '. 'm-liin-china. 



Tree 20-30 ft. high ; branches generally armed with short spines in the 

 leaf-axils. Peduncles solitary, axillary, 1-6-flowered, generally shorter than 

 the petiole. Flowers very fragrant, white. Calyx 3-4 mm. 1.. with 3-5 



