Lime 



581 



Lemon. 



3. LEMON Citrus Limonum Risso 



In Florida the lemon was growing wild long before any attempt had been made 

 toward its cultivation by American settlers, and it was probably introduced dur- 

 ing the early Spanish occupation. It is a small tree up to 6 meters tall. 



The branches are somewhat spreading, short and thorny, forming a rather 

 open head. The bark is thin, rather 

 smooth and grayish. The twigs are 

 smooth, purpHsh at first, becoming 

 yellowish gray. The leaf-blades are 

 borne on narrowly margined petioles; 

 they are light green, ovate-oval, 5 to 

 7 cm. long, sharp-pointed, rounded at 

 the base, toothed on the margin. The 

 flowers are soHtary or in pairs in the 

 axils of the leaves, on short peduncles ; 

 the persistent calyx is 4- or 5-lobed; 

 the corolla is 4 to 5 cm. across, pur- 

 pHsh outside, white within; the ob- 

 long petals are rounded at the apex 



and spreading; stamens about 35, their ^^^- 536- 



filaments more or less united into small groups; ovary 7- to lo-celled. The fruit, 

 ripening at all seasons, is oblong or ovoid, usually about 7.5 cm. long, pointed at 

 each end; its rind is Hght yellow, quite thin, very aromatic, varying from nearly 

 smooth to very rough or mamillated, and adherent to the abundant, white, very 

 juicy, acid pulp; seeds oval, pointed and quite smooth. 



The Lemon is probably a native of Cochin China and is widely cultivated in 



tropical countries. In the United States, 

 where its consumption for lemonade is 

 enormous, it is cultivated in California and 

 in Florida, but the bulk of the supply still 

 comes from the Mediterranean region. 



4. LIME Citrus spinosissima Meyer 



A small straggling tree or shrub attain- 

 ing a maximum height of 6 meters; it has 

 become sparingly naturahzed in peninsular 

 Florida, where it is being cultivated to 

 some extent. 



The tmnk is usually very short. The 

 branches are crooked, numerous and ver\^ 

 thorny; the thorns are small, but sharp, the twigs light green, becoming darker 



Fig. 537. Lime. 



