Citrus medica L., Rutaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: limon real, setlas, tronkon setlas

Chinese: xiang yuan

English: citron

Fijian: moli, moli karokaro

French: cédratier

Maori (Cook Islands): rēneme māori

Niuean: tīpolo

Samoan: moli patupatu, tīpolo, tīpolo patupatu, tipolo

Spanish: cidro, citrón, toronja

Tahitian: tapolo

Tokelauan: tīpolo

Tongan: lemani, lemani petepete

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Small tree; twigs angled, purplish when young, soon rounding; axillary spines short, stout; leaves ovate, blunt to rounded at tip, rounded or cuneate at base, the margins serrate; petioles with very narrow wings, or wingless, not conspicuously jointed to blade; flowers bisexual or staminate; petals 5, exterior pinkish; stamens 30-60; ovary 10-13-locular; fruit ovoid to oblong, the surface usually bumpy, yellow when ripe, the rind very thick; segments greenish, sour to slightly sweet"  (Stone, 1970; p. 352).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "occasionally cultivated and sparingly naturalized at elevations up to about 100 m" (Smith, 1985; p. 518).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Only cultivated, possible origin northeastern India" (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island	cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 44) "A few trees in almost every village".
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island	cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 44) "A few trees in almost every village".
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island	cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 44) "A few trees in almost every village".
American Samoa Swain's Island	Swain's Island	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A. (1983) (p. 14)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced	Setchell, William Albert (1924) (p. 86)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Santiago Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Lakemba Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 518) Voucher cited: Garnock-Jones 895
Fiji Fiji Islands	Tuvutha Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 518) Voucher cited: Bryan 545
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Mbalavu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 518) Voucher cited: Garnock-Jones 1088
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 518) Voucher cited: Meebold 16487
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 253) Vouchers cited: Moore 151, Moore 416
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 253) Voucher cited: Grant 3999
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Raro‘ia Atoll	introduced	Doty, Maxwell S. (1954) (p. 37)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 352) Rare in cultivation.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 123)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 102)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 125) Voucher cited: MacKee 37314
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1977) (p. 139) Relic of cultivation.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)		Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (2010) (p. 41)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	introduced cultivated	Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 272)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced cultivated	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 344) Occasionally planted, but nowhere spontaneous.
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced	St. John, H. (1987) (p. 38) Observed in 1934.
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence & S. Waldren 11036 (PAP) Cultivée

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 199)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island		Stoddart, D. R./Taylor, J. D., eds. (1971) (p. 152) Voucher cited: Rhyne 774 (US)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Agalega Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Stoddart, D. R. (1983) (p. 136)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Citrus medica, please let us know.