Jan 2 7,1923 
Citrangequats and Limequats 
231 
merous rapid-growing hybrids under propagation in the department 
greenhouses during the winter of 1909-10. 
Plate 1 shows the vigorous growth manifested by a few of these citran¬ 
gequats less than one year from the time of planting the seeds, the plants 
being, from left to right, 57^2, 61 , 49, and 52 inches high, while an oval 
kumquat of the same age (on the extreme right) was only 24X inches 
high, only half the height of the smallest of the four citrangequats. 
The Thomasville citrangequat is a hybrid of the oval Kumquat, 
Fortunella margarita (Lour.) Swing, and the Willits citrange, the last 
named being the pollen parent. The Thomasville and other citrange¬ 
quats are what is known as trigeneric hybrids—that is, they were secured 
by hybridizing plants belonging to three distinct genera, Citrus, Poncirus, 
and Fortunella, as has already been noted. In this case the citrangequat 
is in effect a second-generation citrange—that is, a cross of the ordinary 
orange and the trifoliate orange, and a first generation cross of the oval 
kumquat. It is, therefore, one-half kumquat and approximately one- 
fourth each of common orange and trifoliate orange. 
It is an interesting fact that, although the kumquat is a dwarf plant, 
nevertheless hybrids between it and the citrange have shown distinctly 
more vigor than similar hybrids between citranges and grapefruit, despite 
the fact that the grapefruit is a very much larger plant than the kumquat. 4 
The vigor of the Thomasville and some of the other citrangequats is so 
great that their growth often exceeds the combined growth of the three 
parent species. 
GENERAL FRUIT AND TREE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 
THOMASVILLE CITRANGEQUAT 
It was evident from an examination of the first fruits borne that a new 
type of citrous fruit had been created, having much of the pomological 
character of the lime, despite the absence of any lime blood. The fruits 
average much larger than the kumquat and are usually as large as the 
lime, which they resemble more closely than any other citrous fruit. 
Plate 2, A, B will give a good idea of the shape and size of the fruit and 
the manner of its attachment to the twigs. The pronounced “ goose¬ 
neck’ ' fruit spurs and clawlike calyx points are unique characters 
which make the fruit easy to identify. 
The fruits are of attractive appearance, being a glossy dark green 
when immature, changing to a light yellow, and finally to an orange 
yellow when fully mature. They develop an abundant juice content 
when only half grown, a point of importance in their practical utilization. 
Though rather late in blooming, fruits develop very rapidly, in this re¬ 
spect resembling those of another hybrid, the Eustis limequat, also de¬ 
scribed in this paper. Although usually not mature until October or 
November, the fruits can be used for ade from July on through the 
summer and early autumn, when acid fruits are especially appreciated. 
When fully mature, they lose much of their acidity, and are sufficiently 
sweet to eat out of hand. By reason of its hardiness and pleasantly acid 
juice this new fruit makes available for home fruit gardens an ade fruit 
in regions much too cold for growing either lemons or limes. It has 
stood temperatures as low as 12 0 F. without injury and probably will 
4 This curious fact is perhaps explained by the fact that the kumquat is botanically very remote from the 
two parent species that enter into the citrange, whereas the grapefruit is closely related to one of the parents 
of the citrange—the common orange. 
