Risso, Rutaceae |
Present on Pacific Islands? yes
Primarily a threat at high elevations? no
Common name(s): [more details]
English: limetta of the Mediterranean, lumia of the Mediterranean, sweet lemon, sweet lime |
French: limette d'Italie, limette douce de Tunesie, limettier doux, limonette |
Spanish: limón dulce, lima, lima dulce, limero dulce, limeta dulce de Túnez, limonero dulce |
Habit: tree
Description: "Small tree to 8 m high; branches irregular, conspicuously glandular-punctate, thorns stiff and numerous, becoming 1.5-7.5 cm long; bark brownish gray, relatively smooth; petioles narrowly but distinctly winged, spatulate, 8-29 mm long, wing 2-8 mm wide; leaflets obovate or ovate to elliptic, crenulate, 5.5-17 cm long, 2.8-8 cm wide, apex more or less obtusely acuminate, base rounded; flowers white in bud; calyx with 5 triangular, acuminate lobes about 4 mm long; petals white, oblong-lanceolate, 16-17 mm long, 6-7 mm wide; stamens 20-25; filaments about 10 mm long, connate in variable groups; anthers sub-basifixed; disk prominent, annular; ovary globose, apex depressed, glandular-punctate, 3 mm in diameter; style stout, 7-8 mm long, sharply distinct from ovary, soon deciduous; stigma globose, depressed apically; hesperidium globose, about 5 cm in diameter, skin light yellow at maturity, rind white, about 5 mm thick, pulp abundant, greenish, juice abundant, insipid, not acid" (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; pp. 742-744).
Habitat/ecology: Moist uplands in the Galápagos Islands (McMullen, 1999; p. 57).
Propagation: Seed
Native range: "Originally probably from India and Asia" (McMullen, 1999; p. 57).
Presence:
Pacific | |||
Country/Terr./St. & Island group |
Location |
Cited status &
Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction? |
Reference &
Comments |
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Floreana Group |
Floreana Island |
introduced
invasive cultivated |
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) |
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group |
Isabela Island |
introduced
invasive cultivated |
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) |
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Isabela Group |
Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island |
introduced
invasive cultivated |
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) |
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
San Cristóbal Group |
San Cristóbal Island |
introduced
invasive cultivated |
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) |
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santa Cruz Group |
Santa Cruz Island |
introduced
invasive cultivated |
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) |
Pacific Rim | |||
Country/Terr./St. & Island group |
Location |
Cited status &
Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction? |
Reference &
Comments |
China
China |
China (People's Republic of) |
introduced
cultivated |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Japan
Japan |
Japan |
introduced
cultivated |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Thailand
Thailand |
Thailand (Kingdom of) |
introduced
cultivated |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Comments: An escape from cultivation in the Galápagos Islands (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; pp. 742-744).
Control: If you know of control methods for Citrus limetta, please let us know.