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Citrus aurantifolia

Authority	(Christm.) Swingle
Family	Magnoliopsida:Rosidae:Sapindales:Rutaceae
Synonyms	Citrus acida Roxb., Citrus hystrix ssp. acida (Roxb.) Engl., Citrus javanica Blume (1825), Citrus lima Lunan, Citrus limetta var. aromatica Wester, Citrus medica var. acida (Roxb.) Hook. f., Citrus notissima Blanco (1837), Limonia aurantifolia Christre. & Panzer (1777), Limonia aurantiifolia Christm. [basionym]
Common names	acid lime, arani (Cooks), baladi lemon (Egypt), cbanh, chanh ta, citron vert, common lime, dayap, doc, gallego (Brazil), jeruk nipis, jeruk pecel, kaghzi nimba, kagzi mimboo, Key lime, krooch chhmaa muul, laimi, lima, lima ácida, limau asam, limau nipis, lime acide, lime tree, Limette, Limettenbaum, limettier, limón ceutí, Limone, Limonelle, limoo, manao, Mexican lime, moli, moli laimi, moli tipolo, molie, muli, mull, naaw, nabbu kaghdi, Omani lime (Oman), saure Limette, saure Limonette, sipora, somma nao, sour lime, te raim (Kiribati), tipolo, West Indian lime
Editor
Ecocrop code	2242

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A small, evergreen, densely and irregularly branched tree reaching up to 5 m in height, with short, sharp spines. It is characterized by greenish-yellow fruits wich are rather small, 3.5-6 cm in diameter and globose or oval. USES The fruits are used for fresh juice, lime-juice cordial, limeade, marmelade, citric acid, and as flavoring for many foods. The fruit and leaves have medicinal properties. An oil is extracted from the peel. KILLING T Flowers and fruit will not tolerate frost, but the tree may survive -7 to -10 C. GROWING PERIOD Perennial. The first fruits may be harvested after 2-8 years. The tree require 6-13 months from flowering to mature fruit. COMMON NAMES Lime, Sour lime, Common lime, Lima, Lime acide, Limettier, Saure limette, Jeruk nipis, Jeruk pecel, Limau asam, Limau nipis, Muli, Dayap, Krooch chhmaa muul, Naaw, Somma nao, Manao, Chanh, Chanh ta. FURTHER INF Scientific synonym: C. javanica, C. notissima. Lime is probably native of the East Indian Archipelago or northern India and Myanmar. It thrives in the lowland tropics, although it can be found up to 1000 m in elevation or more. High incidence of bacterial canker is a limiting factor in the wet tropics, but under dry conditions irrigation is necessary to obtain good quality fruit. Friut yields may be 600-1500 fruits per tree per year or about 2.4 t/ha. (See also under Citrus ssp.)
Sources
SOURCES (C. aurantifolia (Christm. & Panzer) Swingle) Sims D (pers. comm.) Duke J 1975 pp 12 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Roecklein J 1987 pp 224 [USE, TEMP, RAIN, KTMP] Maas E 1990 pp 281 Samson J 1986 pp 73-138 [TEMP, RAIN, TEXT, DRA, DEP, PH] Rice R 1990 pp 46-59 [TEMP, LIMIT, RAIN, TEXT, DEP, DRA, FER, PH] Purseglove J 1974 pp 499 [USE, FER] Rehm S 1991 pp 176 [TEMP] Hockings E 1961b pp 175-179 [TEMP, KTMP, DRA, DEP, TEXT, PH] Verheij E 1991 pp 126-128 [USE, RAIN, FER, TEXT, DRA]