dcsimg
Image of limeberry
Creatures » » Plants » » Dicotyledons » » Rue Family »

Limeberry

Triphasia trifolia (Burm. fil.) P. Wilson

Comprehensive Description

provided by North American Flora
Triphasia trifolia (Burm. fil.) P. Wilson & Torreya
Limonia trifolia Burm. f. Fl. Ind. 103. 1768. Limonia trifoliate. L. Mant. 237. 1771. Triphasia Aurantiola Lour. Fl. Coch. 1 : 153. 1790. Triphasia trifoliata DC. Prodr. 1 : 536. 1824.
A shrub, 1.5-2 m. or more in height, the branches puberulent when young; spines axillary, paired, 5-17 mm. long, straight ; leaflets crenate, ovate to oval, the lateral ones 1-3.5 cm. long, 1-2.7 cm. broad, obtuse or rounded and emarginate at apex, cuneate or somewhat rounded at the base, frequently inequilateral, the terminal one larger and more gradually contracted at the base ; petioles short, puberulent; flowers fragrant, shortpeduncled ; calyx puberulent, the lobes broadly triangular, ciliate ; petals oblong, white, 12-16 mm. long, 5-6 mm. broad ; berry oval or globose, red, 10-16 mm. long, insipid, aromatic, punctate.
Type locality : Java.
Distribution : Cultivated ; naturalized in tropical and subtropical America as far north as Florida and Texas.
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
bibliographic citation
John Kunkel Small, Lenda Tracy Hanks, Nathaniel Lord Britton. 1907. GERANIALES, GERANIACEAE, OXALIDACEAE, LINACEAE, ERYTHROXYLACEAE. North American flora. vol 25(1). New York Botanical Garden, New York, NY
original
visit source
partner site
North American Flora

Triphasia trifolia

provided by wikipedia EN

Triphasia trifolia (syn. Limonia trifolia Burm. f., Triphasia aurantiola Lour.; also called limeberry,[1] lime berry, "sweet lime" or limoncitong kastila) is a species of Triphasia in the family Rutaceae, native to tropical southeastern Asia especially in Indonesian islands and Philippines and possibly elsewhere.[2][3]

Triphasias are very close relatives of citrus.

Description

It is a spiny evergreen shrub (rarely a small tree) growing to 3 m tall. The leaves are trifoliate, glossy dark green, each leaflet 2–4 cm long and 1.5–2 cm broad. The flowers are white, with three petals 10–13 mm long and 4 mm broad. The fruit is a red, edible hesperidium 10–15 mm diameter, similar to a small Citrus fruit. The fruit flesh is pulpy, with a flavor reminiscent of a slightly sweet lime.[2][3][4]

Cultivation and uses

It is grown for its edible fruit, and has been widely introduced to other subtropical to tropical regions of the world; it has become naturalized on a number of islands in the tropical Pacific Ocean.[3] It has also been noted as a potential invasive in several Indian Ocean archipelagos, and along the United States Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas as well as in the Caribbean. The limeberry has gained some popularity as a bonsai plant. More tropical than true citrus, it must be kept in greenhouses even in many locations where true citrus thrive. In true tropical locations, limeberry may have some promise as a potential commercial fruit crop.

Additionally, the leaves on the limeberry plant are known to have antimicrobial properties housed inside the chemical component of the flowers. As such, there have been cases in the North Pacific Islands where limeberry has been consumed to treat lung cancer and pneumonia. However, more studies are needed to make a definitive claim regarding its medicinal uses. This tree is also considered a weed in other introduced locations.

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Triphasia trifolia.
  1. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Triphasia trifolia". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b Huxley, A, ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening 3: 697. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
  3. ^ a b c Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk: Triphasia trifolia
  4. ^ Plants for a Future: Triphasia trifolia

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2005.11.006.

license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN

Triphasia trifolia: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Triphasia trifolia (syn. Limonia trifolia Burm. f., Triphasia aurantiola Lour.; also called limeberry, lime berry, "sweet lime" or limoncitong kastila) is a species of Triphasia in the family Rutaceae, native to tropical southeastern Asia especially in Indonesian islands and Philippines and possibly elsewhere.

Triphasias are very close relatives of citrus.

license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN