L I M 
Handing upon Ihort foot-ftalks •, they are compofed 
of five or fix petals, the two upper are conne&ed 
together, forming a fort of helmet, the two fide pe- 
tals expand like the wings of a butterfly flower, and 
the lower forms a fort of keel. In the center of the 
petals is fitnated a column-fiiaped germen, which 
rifes from the bafe of the petals, fupporting a {len- 
der ftyle, to which adhere two ftamina, terminated by 
oval fummits, as the ftyle is by a funnel-fhaped Ang- 
ina-, after the flowers are faded, the germen be- 
comes a three-cornered column-fhaped c'apfule, with 
one cell, opening with three valves, containing fe- 
veral roundifh feeds, but ihefe feeds are rarely pro- 
duced in England. 
This plant is not conftant to any particular feafon of 
flowering ; for fometimes it has flowered in April and 
May, and in other years it has not flowered till Sep- 
tember or Qdtober ; but the moffc ufual time of its 
flowering is in June and July, when the flowers ap- 
pear early in the fpring they are fucceeded by feed- 
veffels, which fometimes ripen in this country. 
There are feveral other fpecies of this genus men- 
tioned by Father Plunder, but I have only feen one 
more than this here mentioned, which had oval ob- 
tufe leaves, furrowed in the fame manner as the 
leaves of this fort, but were of a thicker confidence ; 
the flowers of this I have not yet feen. The root was 
fent me from Maryland, where it grew naturally in a 
thicket. 
The fort here defended is too tender to thrive in the 
open air in England, and although with care it may 
be preferved in a warm green-houfe, yet it feldom 
flowers in fuch a fi Gnat ion ; lb that to have it in 
perfection, it is necefifary to keep it in the tan-bed 
in the ftove in winter ; and if in fummer the pots 
are plunged in a tan-bed under a deep frame, the 
plants will thrive, and flower as ftrong as in their 
native foil. 
It is propagated by offsets from the root, which are 
fent out pretty freely when the plants are in vigour ; 
thefe fhould be taken off, and the roots tranfplanted 
■when they are the moft deftitute of leaves. The roots 
fhould have a foft loamy foil, and muft have but little 
water, efpecially in winter. 
LIMODORUM. See Orchis. 
LI MON. Tourn. Inft. R. H. 621. Citrus. Lin. Gen. 
Plant. 807. [fo called of Adpuv, a meadow, becaufe the 
leaves of this tree are of a green colour, as is likewife 
the fruit before it comes to maturity.] The Lemon- 
tree ; in French, Limonier. 
The Characters are, 
The flower is compofed of jive oblong thick petals , which 
are a little concave , Jpreading open thefe fit in a fmall 
empalzrnent of one leaf indented at fivep arts at the top. 
It hath about ten or twelve ftamina , which are joined' in 
three or four bodies , which are terminated by oblong fum- 
mits. It hath an oval germen , fupporting a cylindrical 
ftyle the length of the ftamina , crowned by a globular fum- 
mit. The germen afterward becomes an oval fruit with 
ajlefbyrind , inclofinga thin pulpy fruit with feveral cells, 
each having two hard feeds. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the flxth fe&ion of 
Tournefort’s twenty-firft clafs, which includes the 
trees and Ihrubs with a Rofe-fhaped flower, whofe 
pointal becomes a fieftry fruit with hard dry feeds. 
Dr. Linnaeus has joined the Citron, Orange, and Le- 
mon together, making them only different fpecies of 
the fame genus but if we admit of the fruit being 
a chara&eriftic note to diffinguifli the genus, the 
Limoh cannot be joined with the Orange, for the 
Orange has a globular fruit, compreffed at both ends, 
but the Limon has an oval fruit, prominent at the top, 
and the latter hath not fo many cells as the former. 
It is placed in the fecond fedion of Linnaeus’s 
eighteenth clafs, which includes the plants whofe 
flowers have about twenty ftamina joined in feve- 
ral bodies. 
The Species are, 
1. Limon f Vulgaris) foliis ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis, 
fubferratis. Union-tree with oval , fpear-fhaped ', acute- 
LIM 
pointed leaves , which are little farmed, Limon vulgaris* 
Ferr. Hefp. 193. The common Limon. 
2. Limon ( Spinojmn ) foliis ovatis integris, ram is fub- 
fpinofts. Limon with oval entire leaves , and branches 
which are fomewhat fpiny. Limon aerjs. Ferr. Help, 
331. The four Limon , commonly called Lime. 
3. Limon ( Racemofum ) foliis ovato-lanceolatis -fubferra- 
tis, frudu conglomerate. Limon with oval fpear- 
fhaped leaves, which are fomewhat j, 'awed , and fruit 
growing in cluftsrs. Limon frudu racemofo. Tourn. 
Inft. R. PL 621. ‘Limon with fruit growing in lunches. 
There are great varieties of this trait,' which are pre- 
ferved in fome of the Italian gardens, and in both the 
Indies there are feveral which have not yet been in- 
troduced to the European gardens ; but thefe, like 
Apples and Pears, may be multiplied without end from 
feeds, therefore I fhall only mention the moil remark- 
able varieties which are to be found in the Engiilli 
gardens at prelent, as it would be to little purpofe to 
enumerate all thofewhich are mentioned in the foreign 
catalogues. 0 
The Limon-tree with variegated leaves. 
The fweet Limon. 
The Pear-fhaped. Limon-. 
The imperial Limon. 
The Limon called Adam’s Apple, 
The furrowed Limon. 
The childing Limon. 
The Limon with double flowers. 
The common Limonand the fweet Limon are brought 
to England from Spain and Portugal in great plenty, 
but the fruit of the latter are'not much efteemed. The 
Lime is not often brought to England, nor is that 
fruit much cultivated in Europe, but in the Weft- 
Indies it is preferred to the Limon, the juice being 
reckoned wholefomer, and the acid is more agreeable 
to the palate there are feveral varieties of this fruit 
in the Weft-Indies, fome of which have a fweet juice, 
but thofe are not greatly efteemed ; and as the inha- 
bitants of thofe iflands do not propagate thefe fruits 
by grafting or budding, being contented with fowing 
their feeds, fo there is no doubt but a great variety of 
them may be found by any perfon who is curious in 
diftinguilhing them. 
As I have never known the common Limon ever vary 
to the Lime, when railed from feeds, nor the Lime 
vary to the, Limon, I fuppofe they are fpecifically 
different, for I have frequently railed both from feeds, 
and have always found them continue their difference 
in leaf and branch, for I never waited to fee their 
fruit, as they were only defigned for ftocks, to bud 
other forts into them. 
The Pear-fhaped Limon is a fmall fruit with very 
little juice, fo knot much propagated any where; the 
curious, who have room and convenience for keeping 
many of thefe trees, may prefer ve a plant or two of 
this fort for the fake of variety. 
The fruit of the Imperial Limon is fometimes brought 
to England from Italy, but I do not remember to have 
fe n any of this fort imported from Spain or Portu- 
gal, fo that I fuppofe they are not much propagated 
in either of thefe countries ; for the inhabitants of both 
thofe fine countries are fo very incurious, efpeciaHy in 
horticulture, as to truft almoft entirely to nature, that 
the products of their gardens are inferior both in num- 
bers and quality, to many other parts of Europe, 
where the climate is much lefs favourable for thefe 
productions. And in the article we are now upon, 
there are many ftrong inftances of the flothfulnefs, or 
incuriofity of the Portugueze particularly, for they 
had many of the moft curious forts of Orange, Limon, 
and Citron-trees, brought from the Indies to Portu- 
gal formerly, which feemed to thrive almoft as well 
there, as in their native foil, and yet they have not 
been propagated ; there are a few trees of thefe forts 
ftill remaining in fome negleded gardens near Lift 
bon, almoft unnoticed by the inhabitants. As 
there are alfo feveral curious trees and plants, which 
were formerly introduced from both Indies, forne 
of which thrive and produce fruit amidft the wild 
8 B, bullies 
