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Taxonomy
of native Australian citrus varieties Microcitrus History
Distribution Uses Australian finger lime Citrus australasica Cultivated finger lime varieties Wild Fingerlime's Citrus Caviar varieties Faustrime Australian Sunrise Lime Red finger lime Citrus australasica var. sanguinea Australian Blood Lime Australian round lime Citrus australis Sydney hybrid Citrus × virgata Mount White lime Citrus garrawayae Russel River lime Citrus inodora Maiden's Australian wild lime Citrus maideniana Brown River finger lime Citrus wintersii Humpty Doo lime Citrus gracilis New Guinea wild lime Citrus warburgiana Eremocitrus |
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W.T.
Swingle (1871 - 1952) assigned
these citrus types to the genera Microcitrus and Eremocitrus based on
several characteristics that botanically separate them from the genus
Citrus. These
are listed in "The
Botany of Citrus", in Microcitrus
and Eremocitrus.
Swingle was familiar with the work of both F.M. Mueller (1825
- 1896),
Government Botanist of Victoria and F.M. Bailey (1827-1915), Colonial
Botanist of Queensland. Both botanists active in Australia included
these types
in the genus Citrus. Well-known botanists of our time continue this tradition, D.J. Mabberley (b.1948), since 2005 president of IATP, perhaps the most notable among them. A 1998 paper of his Australian Citrae with notes on other Aurantioideae discusses the issue of Australian native citrus classification. The re-application of the genus Citrus is not an attempt to raise the status of the native Australian Citrus types but an automatic consequence of the Tokyo Code of 1994, which stipulates that after 1994 the oldest correct classification of a plant is the valid one. In this presentation, the genus Citrus is used followed by the synonyms Microcitrus and Eremocitrus as well as several other historical classifications. |
LAT | Citrus australasica F.Muell. | |
Syn | Microcitrus australasica (F.Muell.) Swingle |
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Australian finger lime, (Microcitrus australasica), occurs as an understorey shrub or tree in rainforests in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. It produces finger-shaped fruit, up to 10cm long, with thin green or yellow skin and greenish-yellow compressed juice vesicles that tend to burst out when the skin is cut. A pink to red-fleshed form with red to purple or even black skin (known as Citrus australasica var. sanguinea) also occurs in the wild. Fruits are cylindric, 1.5 - 2.5 cm long, often slightly curved, narrowed at both tip and base. Peel rough with numerous oil glands, greenish-yellow at maturity; pulp-vesicles nearly free or loosely cohering, seeds numerous, small, 6-7 mm long, ovoid, usually flattened on one side. The first leaves are minute linear cataphylls; these gradually merge into juvenile foliage which, in turn, merges into the mature foliage, the leaves of which are smaller than those of any other True Citrus Fruit Tree with the exception of Citrus glauca, when the latter occurs in very dry situations. There numerous selected varieties available for growers. See next entry. Various producers have their own specialties. See Wild Fingerlime below. |
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ENG | Finger lime, Australian finger lime | |
FRA | Lime digitée d'Australie | |
Photos | (1-2) © Gene Lester (3) © CCPP © UC-Riverside Citrus Collection |
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Link |
LAT | Citrus australasica F.Muell. | |
Syn |
Microcitrus australasica (F.Muell.) Swingle |
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Other cultivated varieties: (Thumbnails from top to bottom) 'Blunobia Pink Crystal' 'Blunobia Red Blush' 'Byron Sunrise' 'Durhams Emerald' 'Jali Red' 'Mia Rose' 'Pink Ice' Several producers sell varieties with their own trade names. Wild Finger Lime with the tradename Citrus Caviar, see below. Finger Limeing Good Pty Limited with the tradename Limeburst® |
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ENG | Australian finger lime, cultivated varieties | |
FRA | ||
Photos | Photos by Murray Fag
© Australian National
Botanic Gardens
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Link | Australian National Botanic Gardens |
LAT | Citrus australasica F.Muell. | |
Syn |
Microcitrus australasica (F.Muell.) Swingle |
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Wild Fingerlime markets finger limes in the subtropics of northern New South Wales, where the finger lime is endemic. Wild Fingerlime has conducted research within the Australian restaurant industry and selected a number of export markets to establish the most desirable cultivars. Wild Fingerlime's Citrus Caviar varieties from top to bottom: Rainforest Ruby 1 Rainforest Garnet 1 Rainforest Jade 1 Rainforest Pearl Rainforest Diamond Rainforest Jade 2 Rainforest Topaz |
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ENG | Wild Fingerlime's Citrus Caviar varieties | |
Photo | Photo provided by Wild Fingerlime | |
Link | Wild Fingerlime |
LAT | Faustrime | |
Syn | Citrus australasica F.Muell. × Citrus × floridana (J. Ingram & H. Moore) Mabb. 'Limequat Eustis' |
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Faustrime is a trigeneric hybrid of the Australian fingerlime (Microcitrus australasica) and Limequat Eustis, itself a hybrid of Mexican lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) and Round kumquat (Fortunella japonica). It has genes of three citrus fruit genera: Citrus, Microcitrus and Fortunella. The fruit of Faustrime are similar to Finger lime in shape but much larger in size. Faustrime seems to have inherited several characteristics from the Limequat parent. Unlike the Finger lime Faustrime turns yellow when ripe. The juice vesicles of Faustrime are oval whereas the juice vesicles of the Finger lime are round. Faustrime is juicier than Finger lime and the taste is a cross of Mexican lime and Finger lime. In the kitchen Faustrime can be used instead of lime. Faustrime is also grown as an ornamental plant. Disambiguation: Faustrimedin, see below. |
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ENG | Faustrime | |
Photos | © Laaz | |
LAT | Citrus × oliveri Mabb. 'Sunrise Lime' | |
Syn | Citrus australasica 'Sunrise Lime' Citrus australasica × (Citrus × microcarpa Bunge × Citrus reticulata var. austera) Faustrimedin 'Sunrise Lime' |
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The Australian Sunrise Lime is an open pollinated seedling selected from a Faustrimedin, a hybrid of the Finger lime (Citrus australasica) and the Calamondin (Citrus madurensis), itself a hybrid between the Nagami kumquat (Fortunella margarita) and the sour mandarin (Citrus reticulata var. austera). The Faustrimedin is thus a trigeneric hybrid of the Fortunella, Citrus and Microcitrus genera and was originally bred in California in 1911. The parent tree of the Sunrise Lime was selected in 1990 at CSIRO Plant Industry. The variety has been grown commercially since 2001 and was so successful it was made available for home gardeners in 2005.The Sunrise Lime produces attractive golden-coloured fruit on an upright shrub to small tree, usually 2 to 3 m high and 1.5 to 2.5 m wide. Foliage is dark, glossy-green. The oval leaves are approximately 40 to 45 mm long by 20 to 30 mm wide. The cream-coloured flowers occur in spring to early summer. Fruits ripen in winter, are pearshaped and usually 30 to 45 mm long by 20 to 40 mm wide. Seeds are small and plump. Juice squeezed from the fruit has a sharp, clean flavour and a light ‘floral’ aroma. The fruit may be eaten whole and like a kumquat, have a sharpish flesh and a sweet albedo and skin. They can be used in products such as in cordials, beverages, conserves, puree, pastes, sauces, marmalade, syrups and garnishes. Disambiguation: Faustrime, see above. |
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ENG | Australian Sunrise lime | |
FRA | ||
Photos | © CSIRO Plant Industry | |
LAT | Citrus australasica var. sanguinea F.M.Bailey | |
Syn | Microcitrus australasica var.sanguinea (Bailey) Swingle |
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Red finger lime, a pink to red-fleshed form of the Australian finger lime with red to purple or even black skin (known as Citrus australasica var. sanguinea) also occurs in the wild. This variety differs from the species in that the pulp-vesicles at maturity vary from pink to red in color. The red-pulp finger lime has been observed growing throughout the natural distribution of the finger lime. There are similar "pink" or red varieties of oranges (the so-called blood oranges) and grapefruit, some of which are known to have arisen as budsports. However, the red-pulped variety of the Australian finger-lime is found growing wild and can be propagated from seed; it seems to have originated without the aid of man. |
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ENG | Red finger lime, Red-pulped finger lime, Red-fleshed finger lime | |
FRA | ||
Photos |
©
Petr
Broža
© Bernhard Voß |
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LAT | Citrus australasica 'Australian Blood Lime' | |
Syn | Citrus australasica var. sanguinea × Citrus limonia 'Rangpur' |
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Australian Blood Lime is not a hybrid of the Red finger lime (Citrus australasica var. sanguinea) and the 'Ellendale' mandarin. It is a hybrid of the said Red finger lime and Rangpur lime (Citrus × limonia 'Rangpur'). See Native Australian Citrus – wild species, cultivars and hybrids Fruit is produced on an attractive, dense, upright shrub to small tree, usually 2 to 3 m high and 2 m wide with dark, glossy-green foliage and red growth flushes. Fruits ripen in winter, are oval in shape and are usually 30 to 50 mm long, by 20 to 30 mm wide. The flesh and juice may show red tinges or may occasionally be more intensely red. Seeds are small and plump. The fruit is used in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes and it can be used in many value-added products such as marmalades, preserves, syrups, juices, beverages and sauces. The bottom picture shows Australian 'Blood', 'Outback' and 'Sunrise' limes. |
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ENG | Australian Blood lime, Australian Red Centre lime | |
FRA | ||
Photos | The bottom picture shows Blood, Outback and Sunrise limes. | © CSIRO Plant Industry |
LAT | Citrus garrawayae F.M. Bailey | |
Syn | Microcitrus garrawayae (F.M.Bailey) Swingle |
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Mount White lime, Microcitrus garrawayae (Citrus garrawayae), occurs in rainforests on Cape York Peninsula. It produces a finger-shaped fruit, similar to Finger lime, Microcitrus australasica, though shorter and thicker, with a pale lemon skin and light green pulp. Due to its limited distribution this species is considered rare in the wild and fruit is not traded commercially. Mount White lime is endemic to the foothills and upland rainforest of the Cook District on Cape York Peninsula. It grows in deciduous vine thickets as an understorey shrub and has been recorded at a height of 15 m. Mount White Lime is similar to Finger lime, but has broader leaves. Fruit forms from April to November. The fruits are also “finger-shaped”, with a green skin and greenish-white pulp on maturity. The fruit can be used for value-added products. On Home Citrus Growers Mike Saalfeld has more about the Mount White Lime. The two pictures are of the first fruit he managed to grow. |
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ENG | Mount White lime, Garraway's Australian wild lime | |
FRA | ||
Photos | © Home Citrus Growers | |
LAT | Citrus inodora F.M. Bailey | |
Syn | Microcitrus inodora (F.M.Bailey) Swingle |
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Russel
River lime or Large-leaf Australian wild lime,
Microcitrus
inodora (Citrus inodora), is now rare
in the wild. It is native
to the high-rainfall lowland rainforest at
the foot of the
Bellenden-Ker Range between Cairns and
Innisfail in northern Queensland,
much of which has now been
cleared to grow sugar cane or bananas. It is a shrub or small tree 2 to 4 meters high with the trunk 4 to 5 cm in diameter and produces a lemon-shaped fruit. Fruit is not traded commercially. The twigs are angular like those of Citrus sinensis (the sweet orange) and have one or two slender, very sharp spines, 6 to 12 mm long. Leaves are the biggest in the Microcitrus group. As the botanical name suggests there is very little oil in the leaves and consequently no odour. The bottom picture is of a fruit 6 mm x 12 mm in size, which Mike Saalfeld managed to grow in the UK. See Home Citrus Growers |
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ENG | Russel River lime, Large-leaf Australian wild lime, North Queensland lime | |
FRA | ||
Photos | © Saga Univ. Dept of
Agriculture © UC-Riverside Citrus Collection © Home Citrus Growers |
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LAT | Citrus inodora F.M. Bailey var. maideniana | If
you would like to share a picture, please contact Citrus Pages |
Syn | Microcitrus maideniana (Domin.) Swingle |
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Commonly known as Maiden’s Australian lime, Microitrus maideniana is often described as a variety or subspecies of the Russel River lime. The two species have a similar distribution, limited to a small area in far North Queensland. The deeply depressed apex of the fruit is the only clearly distinctive character known. Fruit is not commercially traded. Some botanists today consider Russel River lime (Microcitrus inodora) and Maiden's Australian wild lime (Microcitrus maideniana) to be one and the same species and the name Microcitrus inodora valid for both. |
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ENG | Maiden's Australian wild lime |
LAT | Citrus wintersii Mabb. | |
Syn | Microcitrus papuana Winters |
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The new name given by D.J. Mabberley, Citrus wintersii, commemorates Harold F. Winters of the USDA, Beltsville, who first described the plant. Finding information on the two Microcitrus species not of Australian origin, the Brown River finger lime, Microcitus papuana (Citrus wintersii) and New Guinea wild lime Microcitrus warburgiana (Citrus warburgiana) is very difficult. Information on the Brown River finger lime from Papua New Guinea (Microcitrus papuana) is very scarce indeed. The only useful information on the web is on Mike Saalfeld's Home Citrus Growers site where he shares the available info with his readers and describes his own experiments with growing Microcitrus papuana himself. |
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ENG | Brown River finger lime, Papuan wild lime | |
FRA | Lime digité de Brown River | |
Photos | © Saga Univ. Dept of Agriculture | |
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LAT | Citrus gracilis Mabb. |
If
you would like to share a picture, please contact Citrus Pages |
Syn | ||
Citrus gracilis has recently been described and named by D.J. Mabberley and grows wild as a straggling tree in eucalypt woodland in the Northern Territory. It has a similar growth habit to Citrus glauca and produces round fruit up to 8cm in diameter.Fruit is not traded commercially. Northern Territory Herbarium lists this as near threatened and endemic to NT. The specific epithet (gracilis) refers to the graceful aspect of the flowering twigs. Superficially resembling Citrus wintersii Mabb. in its narrow leaves, it differs from that New Guinea endemic in not having cylindrical fruits. From the other New Guinea endemic, Microcitrus warburgiana, with which some forms share the broader leaves characteristic of many specimens of that species, it differs in its much larger fruit as it also does from Eremocitrus glauca, which also has narrow leaves and suckering spiny shoots. For more information and pictures see Mike Saalfed's Home Citrus Growers. For a detailed description see: D.J. Mabberley, Australian Citreae http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/73236/Tel7Mab333.pdf |
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ENG | Humpty Doo lime, Kakadu lime | |
FRA | ||
Photos | ||
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This group contains one species, Citrus glauca, known commonly as the Australian desert lime. The typical form of this species as it occurs in southeastern Queensland is a small tree or a large shrub, sometimes only a few feet in height. This genus is in many ways the best characterized and most distinct of any of the near relatives of the genus Citrus. It is the only plant in the whole orange subfamily that is able to survive extreme drought. Its hybrids include eremolemons, eremoranges, eremoradias (a hybrid with the sour orange) and citrangeremos (a hybrid with citrange). |
LAT | Citrus glauca (Lindlay) Burkill | |
Syn | Eremocitrus glauca (Lindlay) Swingle |
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Australian desert lime is originally from southeastern Queensland. It is able to withstand long periods of severe drought and strong, hot winds. The tree will defoliate, leaving its thin, weeping green branches resembling a smoke tree. It can endure high concentrations of salts in the soil and can grow up to over 7 metres (25 ft) with access to water. Eremocitrus leaves are linear in shape and fruits are green, about the size of a marble, and taste much like a regular lime. It has the shortest flowering to fruit maturity period (about 8 weeks) of any member of the citrus family. Australian desert lime grows wild in Queensland and New South Wales with some isolated occurrences in central South Australia. It is the only known member of the citrus family which is a xerophyte: it is able to withstand severe drought and hot dry winds. Under such conditions the leaves fall off and the leafless gray-green twigs carry on photosynthesis on a reduced scale. The plant tolerates high temperatures (up to 45°C) and when dormant in late winter is able to withstand temperatures below freezing point without injury. Seedlings develop an enormous root system before making vigorous aerial growth and developing full-sized leaves. A new species, Citrus gracilis, has recently been described and grows wild as a straggling tree in Eucalypt woodland in the Northern Territory. It has a similar growth habit to Eremocitrus glauca and produces round fruit up to 8cm in diameter. |
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ENG | Australian desert lime, Limebush | |
FRA | Lime du désert australien | |
Photos | (1-2) © UC-Riverside
Citrus Collection
(3-4) © Petr Broža |
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LAT | Citrus glauca 'Outback Lime' | |
Syn | Eremocitrus glauca 'Outback Lime' |
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The Australian Outback Lime (also known as ‘Australian Desert’) is a variety of desert lime (Citrus glauca). It is a cultivar selected and developed from a collection of different native desert lime trees, producing small, green, juicy fruits which ripen at Christmas time. The variety was selected in 1990 at CSIRO Plant Industry. It has been grown commercially since 2001 and was so successful it was made available for home gardeners in 2005. Under commercial cultivation it is an open, upright shrub to small tree, usually 2 to 4 m high and 1.5 to 2 m wide. Small, white flowers occur in spring. The crop is carried on the previous season’s growth, towards the outside of the canopy. The flowering to harvest time is extremely short, in the order of 2 to 3 months. The spherical fruits (to 20 mm) have a thin skin and turn from green to yellow as they ripen in early summer. The fruits can be used for preparing sauces. |
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ENG | Australian Outback lime | |
FRA | ||
Photos | © CSIRO Plant Industry | |
LAT | Eremolemon | |
Syn | Citrus glauca × Citrus meyerii |
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Eremolemon is believed to be Australian desert lime crossed with a Meyer lemon. The leaves are dark green and lanceolate. The fruit is yellow and about 20 mm in diameter. The trees seem to grow larger than a regular Eremocitrus glauca but seem to have the same tolerance for saline soils. Seedlings grow rapidly with deep taproots. |
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ENG | Eremolemon | |
FRA | ||
Photos | © Gene Lester | |
Citrus Pages |