Is the citron related to lemons?
Citron
A source of confusion is that "citron" or similar words in French (and other languages), and English are false friends, as they refer to the lemon. Indeed, into the 16th century, the English name "citron" included the lemon and perhaps the lime as well.
Citrus
The colour of citrus fruits only develops in climates with a (diurnal) cool winter. In tropical regions with no winter at all, citrus fruits remain green until maturity, hence the tropical "green oranges". The Persian lime in particular is extremely sensitive to cool conditions, thus it is not usually exposed to cool enough conditions to develop a mature colour. If they are left in a cool place over winter, the fruits will change colour to yellow.
Greek citron
Historically speaking, the citron is considered by numerous writers, to be introduced to Europe by the troops of Alexander. It was also described by Theophrastus, who succeeded Aristotle as the curator of the Botanical garden in Athens.
Citrus
The most recent research indicates an origin in the Himalayas. Previous research indicated an origin in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeast India, Burma (Myanmar), and the Yunnan province of China, and it is in this region that some commercial species such as oranges, mandarins, and lemons originated. Citrus fruit has been cultivated in an ever-widening area since ancient times.
Palestinian sweet lime
Citrus limettioides, Palestinian sweet lime or Indian sweet lime or common sweet lime, alternatively considered a cultivar of Citrus × limon, "C." × "limon" 'Indian Lime', is a low acid lime that has been used in Israel for food, juice and rootstock. It is a member of the sweet limes. Like the Meyer lemon, it is the result of a cross between the citron ("Citrus medica") and a mandarin/pomelo hybrid distinct from sweet and sour oranges.
Citrus
In general, three "Citrus" ancestral species (pomelos, citrons, and papedas) synthesize relatively high quantities of furanocoumarins, whereas a fourth ancestral species (mandarins) is practically devoid of these compounds. Since the production of furanocoumarins in plants is believed to be heritable, the descendants of mandarins (such as sweet oranges, tangerines, and other small mandarin hybrids) are expected to have low quantities of furanocoumarins, whereas other hybrids (such as limes, grapefruit, and sour oranges) are expected to have relatively high quantities of these compounds.
Giovanni Baptista Ferrari
Ferrari was the first scientist to provide a complete description of the limes, lemons and pomegranates. He also described medical preparations, the details on citron and prescribed limes, lemons and pomegranates as medicinal plants against scurvy.
Orange (fruit)
All citrus trees belong to the single genus "Citrus" and remain almost entirely interfertile. This includes grapefruits, lemons, limes, oranges, and various other types and hybrids. As the interfertility of oranges and other citrus has produced numerous hybrids and cultivars, and bud mutations have also been selected, citrus taxonomy is fairly controversial, confusing or inconsistent. The fruit of any citrus tree is considered a hesperidium, a kind of modified berry; it is covered by a rind originated by a rugged thickening of the ovary wall.
Gin and tonic
Gin and tonic is traditionally garnished with a slice or wedge of lime, often slightly squeezed into the drink before being placed in the glass. In most parts of the world lime remains the only usual garnish; however, in the United Kingdom it has become common to use lemon as an alternative fruit; use of both fruit together is known as an "Evans". Although the origins of the use of lemons are unknown, their use dates back at least as far as the late 1930s. In addition lemons are often more readily available, and cheaper to purchase, than limes. The use of lemon or lime is a debated issue - some leading brands, such as Gordon's, Tanqueray, and Bombay Sapphire, recommend the use of lime in their gin.
Preserved lemon
Although lemons contain citric acid, most citric acid is produced by fermentation uses microbes that can convert sugars into citric acid, which is the most important organic acid produced in tonnage and is extensively used in food and pharmaceutical industries. It is produced mainly by submerged fermentation using "Aspergillus niger" or "Candida" spp. from different sources of carbohydrates, such as molasses and starch-based media. The food and beverage industries use this acid extensively as a food additive globally.
Florentine citron
The source of this variety or hybrid is from the Italian Renaissance gardens. Today it is considered to be a lemon × citron hybrid.
Rangpur (fruit)
"Citrus" × "limonia" was introduced into Florida in the late nineteenth century by Reasoner Brothers of Oneco, who obtained seed from northwestern India. Though often described as a lemon hybrid, genomic analysis has shown it to be an F1 hybrid of a female citron ("Citrus medica") and a male mandarin orange ("Citrus reticulata").
Limonlu, Mersin
Like most Mediterranean coastal towns, Limonlu produces fresh vegetables and fruits. The town has specialized in citrus production and in fact the name of the town means "with lemon". But lately, tourism has almost replaced agriculture as being the most important economic activity. In Limonlu coastal band, there are many summer houses owned by city dwellers (). The coastal band is also used for tent camps. Most of the town houses on the other hand, are rented as summer boarding houses.
Citrus production
While the origin of citrus fruits cannot be precisely identified, researchers believe they began to appear in Southeast Asia at least 4,000 BC. From there, they slowly spread to northern Africa, mainly through migration and trade. During the period of the Roman Empire demand by higher-ranking members of society, along with increased trade, allowed the fruits to spread to southern Europe. Citrus fruits spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, and were then brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers. Worldwide trade in citrus fruits didn't appear until the 20th century and trade in orange juice developed as late as 1940.
Siracusa Lemon
The European Union has nine (PGI) denominations for lemons: six of these are from Italy, one from France, one from Spain, and one from Portugal. Other than the "Siracusa lemon", the Italian denominations are the "Limone di Sorrento", the "Limone Costa d'Amalfi", the "Interdonato di Messina", the "Femminello del Gargano", and the "Limone di Rocca Imperiale". The French denomination is the "Citron de Menton". The Spanish denomination is the "Citricos Valencianos", while in Portugal the "Citrinos do Algarve" is protected.
Citrus taxonomy
All of the wild 'pure' citrus species trace to a common ancestor that lived in the Himalayan foothills, where a late-Miocene citrus fossil, "Citrus linczangensis", has been found. At that time, a lessening of the monsoons and resultant drier climate in the region allowed the citrus ancestor to expand across south and east Asia in a rapid genetic radiation. After the plant crossed the Wallace line a second radiation took place in the early Pliocene (about 4 million years ago) to give rise to the Australian species. Most modern cultivars are actually hybrids derived from a small number of 'pure' original species. Though hundreds of species names have been assigned, a recent genomic study by Wu, "et al." identified just ten ancestral species of citrus among those studied. Of these, seven were native to Asia: pomelo ("Citrus maxima"), the 'pure' mandarins ("C. reticulata" - most mandarin cultivars were hybrids of this species with pomelo), citrons ("C. medica"), micranthas ("C. micrantha"), the Ichang papeda ("C. ichangensis"), the mangshanyegan ("C. mangshanensis"), and the oval (Nagami) kumquat ("Fortunella margarita" or "C. japonica" var. "margarita"). In Australia three were identified: the desert lime ("C. glauca"), round lime ("C. australis") and the finger lime ("C. australasica"). Many other cultivars previously identified as species were found to be closely related variants (subspecies or varieties) or hybrids of these species, though not all cultivars were evaluated.
Greek citron
"This tree does not become particularly big. The leaves are smaller than those of other citrons, and serrated, oblong, pointed towards the front, mixed with many thorns. The bloom is small and reddish from outside. The fruit blossoms (- "the carpels") are not less oblong from the beginning, appearing as reddish and dark-green; thereafter they turn entirely green, and when they ripen, straw-yellow, remaining, however, rather small all the time and never growing to a proper size, like other kinds of Citron.
Citron
Despite the wide variety of forms taken on by the fruit, citrons are all closely related genetically, representing a single species. Genetic analysis has shown known cultivars to divide into three clusters, a Mediterranean cluster thought to have originated in India, and two clusters predominantly found in China, one representing the fingered citrons, and another consisting of non-fingered varieties.
Citrus limetta
It is native to southern regions of Iran and also cultivated in the Mediterranean Basin.It is a different fruit from the Palestinian sweet lime and from familiar sour limes such as the Key lime and the Persian lime. However, genomic analysis revealed it to be highly similar to the Rhobs el Arsa, and the two likely shared a common origin.
Chrysopogon zizanioides
Vetiver is most closely related to "Sorghum" but shares many morphological characteristics with other fragrant grasses, such as lemongrass ("Cymbopogon citratus"), citronella ("Cymbopogon nardus", "C. winterianus"), and palmarosa ("Cymbopogon martinii").
Corsican citron
For a short period of time Genoese merchants, who always supplied fruit for the Jewish ritual of Etrog, used to ship also some amount of this Corsican variety, while there was not enough available from Diamante. This tradition terminated due to competition with the Greek citron which was considered to be of extraordinary beauty.
Citrus
The generic name originated from Latin, where it referred to either the plant now known as citron ("C. medica") or a conifer tree ("Thuja"). It is somehow related to the ancient Greek word for cedar, κέδρος ("kédros"). This may be due to perceived similarities in the smell of citrus leaves and fruit with that of cedar. Collectively, "Citrus" fruits and plants are also known by the Romance loanword "agrumes" (literally "sour fruits").
Citron
The acidic varieties include the Florentine and Diamante citron from Italy, the Greek citron and the Balady citron from Israel. The sweet varieties include the Corsican and Moroccan citrons. Between the pulpless are also some fingered varieties and the Yemenite citron.
Watermelon
The citron melon or "makataan" - a variety with sweet yellow flesh that is cultivated around the world for fodder, and the production of citron peel and pectin.
Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus is a plant species in the family Cucurbitaceae, a vine-like (scrambler and trailer) flowering plant originating in West Africa. It is cultivated for its fruit. The subdivision of this species into two varieties, watermelons ("Citrullus lanatus" (Thunb.) var. "lanatus") and citron melons ("Citrullus lanatus" var. "citroides" (L. H. Bailey) Mansf.), originated with the erroneous synonymization of "Citrullus lanatus" (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai and "Citrullus vulgaris" Schrad. by L.H. Bailey in 1930. Molecular data including sequences from the original collection of Thunberg and other relevant type material, show that the sweet watermelon ("Citrullus vulgaris" Schrad.) and the bitter wooly melon "Citrullus lanatus" (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai are not closely related to each other. Since 1930, thousands of papers have misapplied the name "Citrullus lanatus" (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai for the watermelon, and a proposal to conserve the name with this meaning was accepted by the relevant nomenclatural committee and confirmed at the International Botanical Congress in Shenzhen.
Citrus
Before the development of fermentation-based processes, lemons were the primary commercial source of citric acid.
Orange (fruit)
The taste of oranges is determined mainly by the relative ratios of sugars and acids, whereas orange aroma derives from volatile organic compounds, including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, terpenes, and esters. Bitter limonoid compounds, such as limonin, decrease gradually during development, whereas volatile aroma compounds tend to peak in mid– to late–season development. Taste quality tends to improve later in harvests when there is a higher sugar/acid ratio with less bitterness. As a citrus fruit, the orange is acidic, with pH levels ranging from 2.9 to 4.0.
Lemon (disambiguation)
Lemon is both a tree and the fruit borne by that tree.
Meyer lemon
Citrus" × "meyeri, the Meyer lemon, is a hybrid citrus fruit native to China. It is a cross between a citron and a mandarin/pomelo hybrid distinct from the common or bitter oranges.
Kabbad
The Kabbad refers to a citron-like fruit or citrus hybrid which was first described in 1963 by the Moroccan professor Henri Chapot, in his article named ""Le Cédrat Kabbad et deux autres variétés de cédrat"", who remarked it to be a biological hybrid between the citron and the orange sourcing from Damaskus, Syria.
Following is from The Citrus Industry vol. 1 Chap.4:
Lemon (color)
"Citron" is the French word for "lemon". This dark tone of lemon was formulated for use in interior design and fabric design.
Displayed at right is the color lemon curry.
Citron
The fruit's English name "citron" derives ultimately from Latin, "citrus", which is also the origin of the genus name.
Lime (fruit)
A lime (from French "lime", from Arabic "līma", from Persian "līmū", "lemon") is a hybrid citrus fruit, which is typically round, green in color, in diameter, and contains acidic juice vesicles.
Citron
Citrons, either the pulp of them or the pips, are taken in wine as an antidote to poisons. A decoction of citrons, or the juice extracted from them, is used as a gargle to impart sweetness to the breath. The pips of this fruit are recommended for pregnant women to chew when affected with qualmishness. Citrons are good, also, for a weak stomach, but it is not easy to eat them except with vinegar.
Citrus taxonomy
The trifoliate orange is a cold hardy plant distinguishable by its compound leaves with three leaflets and its deciduous nature, but is close enough to the genus "Citrus" to be used as a rootstock. Swingle moved the trifoliate orange from "Citrus" to its own genus, "Poncirus". It was long thought to be the only member of this genus, until a second species, "Poncirus polyandra", was discovered in Yunnan (China) in the 1980s. Early phylogenetic analysis nested "Poncirus" within the citrus, suggesting they all belong to a single genus, but the genomic sequencing of Wu, "et al.", placed it outside the cluster representing "Citrus", and the authors retained a separate "Poncirus" genus.
Buddha's hand
The different cultivars and variations of this citron variety form a gradient from "open-hand" types with outward-splayed segments to "closed-hand" types, in which the fingers are kept together. There are also half-fingered fruits, in which the basal side is united and the apical side fingered. The origin of this kind of citron is commonly traced back to the Far East, probably northeastern India or China, where most domesticated citrus fruits originate.
Myrmelachista schumanni
Lemon ants get their name from the lemony taste of acids produced as part of a glandular chemical defense system. When crushed or attacked, citronellal pheromones are created to communicate alarm to nearby individuals, which also produces a citrus odor.
Citron
From ancient through medieval times, the citron was used mainly for medical purposes: to combat seasickness, pulmonary troubles, intestinal ailments, scurvy and other disorders. The essential oil of the flavedo (the outermost, pigmented layer of rind) was also regarded as an antibiotic. Citron juice with wine was considered an effective antidote to poison, as Theophrastus reported. In the Ayurvedic system of medicine, the juice is still used for treating conditions like nausea, vomiting, and excessive thirst.
Citrus taxonomy
The pomelo ("Citrus maxima"), a second of the core species from which most citrus hybrids have derived, is native to southeast Asia. Among the hybrids deriving from mandarin/pomelo crosses, there is a direct correlation between the proportion of pomelo DNA in the hybrid and fruit size, while the more palatable mandarins are those that have received specific genes from pomelos that alter their acidity. Some of the more common pomelos are genetically pure, while a number have a single small region of introgressed mandarin DNA on one chromosome, the result of a cross followed by extensive backcrossing with pomelo.
Diamante citron
While Calabria is at the southern point of Italy, and its climate most Mediterranean, it is the most suitable for the citron. Even though, during the winter it is still too cold for the citron; this is why the farmers need to protect them with blue or green plastic covers. Most of the citron trees in the area are grafted onto foreign citrus rootstock, in order to save them from frost and disease. This practice renders their fruits non-kosher for the Sukkot ritual, and therefore in order for a mashgiach to certify a citron as kosher, he must first carefully inspect the tree to confirm it was not grafted.
Citrus
A variety of flavours can be derived from different parts and treatments of citrus fruits. The rind and oil of the fruit is generally very bitter, especially when cooked, so is often combined with sugar. The fruit pulp can vary from sweet to extremely sour. Marmalade, a condiment derived from cooked orange and lemon, can be especially bitter, but is usually sweetened to cut the bitterness and produce a jam-like result. Lemon or lime is commonly used as a garnish for water, soft drinks, or cocktails. Citrus juices, rinds, or slices are used in a variety of mixed drinks. The colourful outer skin of some citrus fruits, known as zest, is used as a flavouring in cooking; the white inner portion of the peel, the pith, is usually avoided due to its bitterness. The zest of a citrus fruit, typically lemon or an orange, can also be soaked in water in a coffee filter, and drunk.
Bitter orange
Bitter orange, Seville orange, sour orange, bigarade orange, or marmalade orange refers to a citrus tree (Citrus" × "aurantium) and its fruit. It is native to southeast Asia, and has been spread by humans to many parts of the world. Wild trees are found near small streams in generally secluded and wooded parts of Florida and The Bahamas after it was introduced to the area from Spain, where it had been introduced and cultivated heavily beginning in the 10th century by the Moors. The bitter orange is believed to be a cross between "Citrus maxima" × "Citrus reticulata"
Mal secco
The main host of mal secco is the lemon; however other genera including Citrus, Severina, Fortunella, and Poncirus have all been reported to be susceptible. In addition to lemon, the disease has been observed to be highly destructive in Citron (C. "medica L".), lime (C. "latifolia Tan".), and bergamot (C. "bergamia Risso"). The most common lemons in the Mediterranean, the rough lemon (C. "jambiri Lush"), volkamer lemon (C. "volkameriana Ten. & Pasq".), and alemow (C. "macrophilla wester") are very susceptible.
Citron
The citron is thought to have been native to India, in valleys at the foothills of the eastern Himalayas. It is thought that by the 4th century BC, when Theophrastus mentions the "Persian or Median apple", the citron was mostly cultivated in the Persian Gulf on its way to the Mediterranean basin, where it was cultivated during the later centuries in different areas as described by Erich Isaac. Many mention the role of Alexander the Great and his armies as they attacked Persia and what is today Pakistan, as being responsible for the spread of the citron westward, reaching the European countries such as Greece and Italy.
Genoplesium citriodorum
The lemon scented midge orchid was first formally described in 1991 by David Jones and Mark Clements who gave it the name "Genoplesium citriodorum" and published the description in "Australian Orchid Research". In 2002, Jones and Clements changed the name to "Corunastylis citriodora". The specific epithet ("citriodorum") is derived from the Latin words "citrea" meaning "the citron-tree" and "odor" meaning "smell", referring to the strongly lemon-scented flowers.
Moroccan citron
As to the Diamante citron (Yanova) and the Greek citron (Corfu), he argued based on the booklet from the Salant partners, that since some of them are proven to be grafted, no certification may be granted to the rest, since it is impossible to determine if the non-grafted citrons are not descendants of the grafted ones.
As to the Moroccan and Yemenite citrons he argued, that although there were no grafted trees ever discovered among those kinds, they should be unfit, in light of the differentiation from the Ashkenazi types. The Moroccan citron is allegedly noted for its seedlessness, and the Yemenite for its pulplessness, both are too much different in morphology from the traditional Yanova and Israeli esrogs.
Citrin
The term Citrin when referring to Vitamin-P was the most active Bio-flavonoid in lemons, it was found to be Eriodictyol (but a more active form constituent was found there decades later).
Citrus
The large citrus fruit of today evolved originally from small, edible berries over millions of years. Citrus plants diverged from a common ancestor about 15 million years ago, which was about when it diverged from the closely related severinia, for example the Chinese box orange. About 7 million years ago, citrus plants diverged into two groups, the main citrus genus and the ancestors of the trifoliate orange (poncirus), which is closely enough related that it can still be hybridized with all other citrus. These estimates are made using genetic mapping of plant chloroplasts. A DNA study published in "Nature" in 2018 concludes that citrus trees originated in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the area of Assam (India), western Yunnan (China), and northern Myanmar.
Mandarin orange
According to molecular studies, the mandarin, the citron, the pomelo, and to a lesser extent the papedas and kumquat, were the ancestors of most other commercial citrus varieties, through breeding or natural hybridization; mandarins are therefore important as the only sweet fruit among the parental species. Though some mandarin cultivars remain pure, most have some degree of pomelo hybridization, while in some cases the amount of pomelo is substantial.
Citropten
Citropten is a natural organic compound with the molecular formula CHO. It is found in the essential oils of citrus such as lime, lemon, and bergamot.
Tylenchulus semipenetrans
Tylenchulus semipenetrans (Citrus nematode, Citrus root nematode) is a species of plant pathogenic nematodes and the causal agent of slow decline of citrus. "T. semipenetrans" is found in most citrus production areas and diverse soil textures worldwide. Their feeding strategy is semi-endoparasitic and has a very narrow host range among commonly grown crops. These nematodes are considered as major plant-parasitic nematode because they can cause 10-30% losses reported on citrus trees. They also parasitize other hosts such as olive, grape, persimmon and lilac. The citrus nematode was first discovered in California in 1913 by J.R. Hodges and was later described and named by Nathan Cobb that year.
Citronellal
Citronellal or rhodinal or 3,7-dimethyloct-6-en-1-al (CHO) is a monoterpenoid, the main component in the mixture of terpenoid chemical compounds that give citronella oil its distinctive lemon scent.
Ponderosa lemon
The ponderosa lemon ("Citrus " x "pyriformis") is a citrus hybrid of a pomelo and a citron. It is not the same as the 'Yuma Ponderosa' lemon pomello hybrid, that is used as citrus rootstock.
Lemon tart
In the UK, lemon tart (also called tarte au citron) consists of a pastry case (often made in a fluted tart tin) containing a baked lemon custard (usually composed of eggs, sugar, lemon juice and cream). Usually recipes include blind-baking before adding the custard. Sometimes the tart is dusted with icing sugar prior to serving.
Limey
The term is thought to have originated in the 1850s as "lime-juicer", later shortened to "limey", and originally used as a derogatory word for sailors in the British Royal Navy. Since the beginning of the 19th century it had been the practice of the Royal Navy to add lemon juice to the sailors' daily ration of grog (watered-down rum). The vitamin C (specifically acid) in citrus fruits prevented scurvy , and helped to make these sailors some of the healthiest of the time. At that time "lemon" and "lime" were used interchangeably to refer to citrus fruits. Initially, lemon juice (from lemons imported from Europe) was used as the additive to grog on the Royal Navy ships, but was later switched to limes (grown in British colonies), not realizing that limes did not contain sufficient Vitamin C to prevent the disease.
Zest (ingredient)
The zest and mesocarp vary with the genetics of the fruit. Fruit with peels that are almost all flavedo are generally mandarines; relatives of pummelos and citrons tend to have thicker mesocarp. The mesocarp of pummelo relatives (grapefruit, orange, etc.) is generally more bitter; the mesocarp of citron relatives (Mexican and Persian limes, alemows etc.) is milder. The lemon is a hybrid of pummelo, citron, and mandarin. The mesocarp is also edible, and is used to make succade.
Citron
Today the citron is used for the fragrance or zest of its flavedo, but the most important part is still the inner rind (known as pith or "albedo"), which is a fairly important article in international trade and is widely employed in the food industry as succade, as it is known when it is candied in sugar.
Kitron
Kitron is a citron liqueur produced on the Greek island of Naxos. It is made from the fruit and leaves of the citron tree, which is similar to the lemon tree but stronger and slightly different in taste.
Citrus
Most cultivated "Citrus" spp. seem to be natural or artificial hybrids of a small number of core ancestral species, including the citron, pomelo, mandarin, and papeda (see image). Natural and cultivated citrus hybrids include commercially important fruit such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and some tangerines.
Citron
The citron fruit is usually ovate or oblong, narrowing towards the stylar end. However, the citron's fruit shape is highly variable, due to the large quantity of albedo, which forms independently according to the fruits' position on the tree, twig orientation, and many other factors. The rind is leathery, furrowed, and adherent. The inner portion is thick, white and hard; the outer is uniformly thin and very fragrant. The pulp is usually acidic, but also can be sweet, and even pulpless varieties are found.
Lime (fruit)
Note that the tree species known in Britain as lime trees ("Tilia" sp.), called "linden" in other dialects of English, are broadleaf temperate plants unrelated to the citrus fruits.
Citrus greening disease
Citrus greening disease (; or HLB) is a disease of citrus caused by a vector-transmitted pathogen. The causative agents are motile bacteria, "Candidatus" Liberibacter spp. The disease is vectored and transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, "Diaphorina citri", and the African citrus psyllid, "Trioza erytreae", also known as the two-spotted citrus psyllid. It has also been shown to be graft-transmissible. Three different types of HLB are currently known: The heat-tolerant Asian form, and the heat-sensitive African and American forms. The disease was first described in 1929 and first reported in China in 1943. The African variation was first reported in 1947 in South Africa, where it is still widespread. Eventually, it affected the United States, reaching Florida in 2005. Within three years, it had spread to the majority of citrus farms. The rapid increase in this disease has threatened the citrus industry not only in Florida, but the entire US. As of 2009, 33 countries have reported HLB infection in their citrus crop.
Siracusa Lemon
The lemon plant originates in Burma, where it is found growing wild: from there it crossed the Middle East, Mesopotamia, and Palestine, to the Mediterranean, where it found favorable conditions to thrive. The natural habitat of the lemon lies in a strip from the 40° parallel in the North to the 40° parallel in the South: this strip includes California, Uruguay, Argentina, South Africa and the Mediterranean basin, in particular Italy, Spain, Greece and Turkey. In the Fifteenth and Sixteenth centuries, when there was an aristocratic monopoly on citrus growing, the use of lemons was confined to luxury foods.
Citron
For many centuries, citron's fragrant essential oil has been used in perfumery, the same oil that was used medicinally for its antibiotic properties. Its major constituent is limonene.
Citrus
Citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes.
Citrus taxonomy
While most citrus hybrids derive from the three core species, hybrids have also been derived from the micrantha, the Ichang papeda and the kumquat. The best known hybrid from micrantha is the Key lime (or Mexican lime), derived from the breeding of a male citron and a female micrantha. Several citrus varieties are Ichang papeda/mandarin crosses (for which Swingle coined the term ichandarin), including Sudachi and Yuzu (which also includes smaller contributions from pomelo and kumquat). Other more exotic citrus have likewise proved hybrids that include papeda. For example, the Indian wild orange, once suggested as a possible ancestor of today's cultivated citrus fruits, yielded conflicting phylogenetic placements in more limited genetic analysis, but study of nuclear markers and chloroplast DNA showed it to be of maternal citron lineage, with further genetic contributions from mandarin and papeda. The wild Mountain citron, native to the Malay peninsula and called "Citrus halimii" at the time of its discovery, has been found to be a complex mix, being half papeda (type not specified), the other half including kumquat, mandarin and pomelo, with only trace amounts of citron.
Citron
Most citron varieties contain a large number of monoembryonic seeds. They are white, with dark innercoats and red-purplish chalazal spots for the acidic varieties, and colorless for the sweet ones. Some citron varieties are also distinct, having persistent styles, that do not fall off after fecundation. Those are usually promoted for "etrog" use.
Citron
While the lemon or orange are peeled to consume their pulpy and juicy segments, the citron's pulp is dry, containing a small quantity of insipid juice, if any. The main content of a citron fruit is the thick white rind, which adheres to the segments and cannot be separated from them easily. The citron gets halved and depulped, then its rind (the thicker the better) is cut in pieces, cooked in sugar syrup, and used as a spoon sweet, in Greek known as "kitro glyko" (κίτρο γλυκό), or it is diced and caramelized with sugar and used as a confection in cakes.
In Samoa a refreshing drink called "vai tipolo" is made from squeezed juice. It is also added to a raw fish dish called "oka" and to a variation of palusami or luáu.
Lemon
The 'Femminello St. Teresa', or 'Sorrento' is native to Italy. This fruit's zest is high in lemon oils. It is the variety traditionally used in the making of "limoncello".
Lumia (citrus)
The most known origin for the Lumia is from the Mediterranean basin. The Lumia is also classified as "Citrus limon var. lumia" by Swingle which places it under the taxonomy of lemon, and "Citrus medica L. var. lumia", that suggests it is similar to citron.
Diamante citron
The Diamante citron ("Citrus medica" var. "vulgaris" or cv. "diamante" − , or גינובה) is a variety of citron named after the town of Diamante, located in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, on the south-western coast of Italy, which is its most known cultivation point. This is why this variety is sometimes called the "Calabria Esrog". ""Esrog"" is the Ashkenazi transliteration of the Hebrew name for citron.
The Diamante citron was one of the most important varieties candied by the largest factories at Livorno, Italy; it was gathered from Liguria, Naples, Calabria & Sicily and then shipped into England and the United States.
Citrus
Citrus fruit intake is associated with a reduced risk of stomach cancer. Also, citrus fruit juices, such as orange, lime, and lemon, may be useful for lowering the risk of specific types of kidney stones. Grapefruit is another fruit juice that can be used to lower blood pressure because it interferes with the metabolism of calcium channel blockers.
Lemons have the highest concentration of citrate of any citrus fruit, and daily consumption of lemonade has been shown to decrease the rate of kidney stone formation.
Ponderosa lemon
Ponderosa lemon is less cold hardy than a true lemon. It bears medium to large fruit that have a thick and bumpy rind. The fruits are seedy, and while they look similar to a citron, they taste like a lemon.
Citrus × deliciosa
Citrus" × "deliciosa (thorny (Australia), amarillo, beladi, "Willowleaf Mandarin", "Mediterranean Mandarin") is a citrus hybrid mandarin orange with just under 6 % pumelo ancestry. It is related to the ponkan.
Siracusa Lemon
The Siracusa lemon (in Italian, "Limone di Siracusa IGP") is the fruit of the cultivar "femminello siracusa" and its clones, corresponding to the botanical species Citrus x limon L. Burm. The "femminello siracusano" cultivar is the most common variety of lemon in Italy, with the Province of Syracuse (Siracusa) region accounting for 42% of the national lemon-growing land area.
Saint Clement's (cocktail)
The Saint Clement's is a non-alcoholic cocktail. Though the ingredients may vary, it consists of orange juice mixed with bitter lemon, usually in equal proportions; the name of the drink refers to the English nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons. The drink is therefore named (indirectly) after either St Clement Eastcheap or St Clement Danes, both churches in London. The traditional recipe calls for equal parts orange juice and lemon juice served over ice in a highball glass. There are many variations, in which the lemon juice is replaced with a sweeter drink (like lemonade), or even a carbonated citrus-flavored soft drink (like Sprite, 7-Up, or Fanta Lemon).
Bichon au citron
The bichon au citron is a French pastry. It is similar to a turnover in size, shape, and that it is made of puff pastry. A major distinguishing feature is that it is filled with lemon curd. The outer layer of sugar is sometimes partially caramelized.
Sweet lemon
Sweet lemon and sweet lime refer to many citrus hybrids that contain low acid pulp and juice. They are hybrids often similar to non-sweet lemons or limes, but with less citron parentage. Sweet limes and lemons are not sharply separated:
The same plant may also be known by different names:
The sweet lemons and sweet limes are not derived from either lemons or the more common limes, nor do they represent a monophiletic grouping, having arisen from distinct citrus hybridizations. Plants and fruits with the common name sweet lemon or sweet lime include:
Citrus
The Moroccan professor Henri Chapot discovered that the acidity in the more common citrons or lemons is indicated by red on the inner coat of seeds specifically on the chalazal spot, violet pigmentation on the outer side of the flower blossom, and by the new buds that are reddish-purplish. The acid-free varieties of citrus are completely lacking the red color in all the mentioned spots. This designation was cited by Herbert John Webber and Leon Dexter Batchelor, the editors of the fundamental treatise on citrus, namely The Citrus Industry, which was published by the University of California, Riverside in 1967.
Citron
"Citrus medica" is a slow-growing shrub or small tree that reaches a height of about . It has irregular straggling branches and stiff twigs and long spines at the leaf axils. The evergreen leaves are green and lemon-scented with slightly serrate edges, ovate-lanceolate or ovate elliptic 2.5 to 7.0 inches long. Petioles are usually wingless or with minor wings. The clustered flowers of the acidic varieties are purplish tinted from outside, but the sweet ones are white-yellowish.
The citron tree is very vigorous with almost no dormancy, blooming several times a year, and is therefore fragile and extremely sensitive to frost.
Citrumelo
Trifoliate orange, according to Swingle, belongs to a citrus related genera, called Poncirus, while grapefruit equivocally belongs to the genus citrus, hence the botanical name "X citroncirus" is a hybrid genus, derived from citrus and poncirus.
Corsican citron
The tree produces large fruit, ellipsoid to very slightly obovate; basal area slightly depressed and radially furrowed; apical nipple suppressed or indistinct. Color lemon-yellow when ripe. Rind very thick and fleshy, sweet with some bitter after-taste; surface rather rough, bumpy, and commonly somewhat ribbed. Flesh crisp and solid; lacking in juice; flavor sweet without acid. Seeds white yellowish. This giant citron can measure up to 25 cm in length and weigh up to 4 kg.
Lemon
Lemons were the primary commercial source of citric acid before the development of fermentation-based processes.
Lemon Incest
The title is a play on words in French in the chorus between "Un zeste de citron" ("A lemon zest") and "Inceste de citron" ("lemon incest").
Lime (color)
Lime is a color that is a shade of green, so named because it is a representation of the color of the citrus fruit called limes. It is the color that is in between the web color chartreuse and yellow on the color wheel. Previous names for this color included, yellow green, lemon lime, lime green, or bitter lime.
Citron
Citron was also described by Pliny the Elder, who called it "nata Assyria malus". The following is from his book Natural History:
There is another tree also with the same name of "citrus," and bears a fruit that is held by some persons in particular dislike for its smell and remarkable bitterness; while, on the other hand, there are some who esteem it very highly. This tree is used as an ornament to houses; it requires, however, no further description.
Citrus taxonomy
Australian and New Guinean citrus species had been viewed as belonging to separate genera by Swingle, who placed in "Microcitrus" all but the desert lime, for which he used "Eremocitrus". However, genomic analysis shows that though they form a distinct clade from other citrus, this is nested within the citrus phylogenetic tree, most closely related to kumquats, suggesting that all these species should be included in the genus "Citrus". Wu, "et al.", found that several of the finger lime cultivars were actually hybrids with round lime, and concluded there were just three species among those tested, desert lime ("C. glauca"), round lime ("C. australis") and the finger lime ("C. australasica"), though their analysis did not include other types previously identified as distinct species. In more limited genomic analysis, the New Guinea wild lime, "Clymenia" and "Oxanthera" (false orange) all cluster with the Australian limes as members of "Citrus". The outback lime is a desert lime agriculturally-selected for more commercial traits, while Some commercial varieties of the Australian lime are hybrids with mandarins, lemons, and/or sweet oranges. "Clymenia", will hybridize with kumquats and some limes.
Lemon (color)
Lemon or lemon-color is a pale yellow color, the color of the lemon fruit.
Greek citron
It was also called "pitima", or the "cedro col pigolo" ("citron with a pitom), because its usually persisting pitom (carpel). The last does not only enhance its character, but also adds Halachic promotion.
Citrus
Citrus fruits are notable for their fragrance, partly due to flavonoids and limonoids (which in turn are terpenes) contained in the rind, and most are juice-laden. The juice contains a high quantity of citric acid giving them their characteristic sharp flavour. The genus is commercially important as many species are cultivated for their fruit, which is eaten fresh, pressed for juice, or preserved in marmalades and pickles.
Citrus depressa
Citrus depressa ("Citrus" × "depressa", formerly "C. pectinifera", "shiikwaasa", "hirami remon" or "shīkuwāsā"), in English sometimes called shiikuwasha, shequasar, Taiwan tangerine, flat lemon, hirami lemon, or thin-skinned flat lemon, is a small, green citrus fruit rich in flavonoids and native to Taiwan and Okinawa, Japan.
Lemon (disambiguation)
Lemon or Lemons may also refer to:
Economic botany
Citrus has been a major commercial product in Florida since the 19th century. Florida produces over 70% of the U.S. citrus supply. The color of oranges is not related to ripening, but is a serious component for sales. The orange color only develops in areas with cool nighttime temperatures. In tropical climates, growers often expose the fruit to ethylene, to promote the loss of chlorophyll and expose the beta-carotenes (the orange color).
Citreae
Three sub-tribes are included:
Notable species in the Citrinae group include Bergamot orange, calamondin, citron, grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, pummelo, tangelo, and tangerine, all of which are in the genus "Citrus".
Limonene
Limonene is a colorless liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon classified as a cyclic monoterpene, and is the major component in the oil of citrus fruit peels. The -isomer, occurring more commonly in nature as the fragrance of oranges, is a flavoring agent in food manufacturing. It is also used in chemical synthesis as a precursor to carvone and as a renewables-based solvent in cleaning products. The less common -isomer is found in mint oils and has a piny, turpentine-like odor.
Boronia citriodora
Boronia citriodora is also known as lemon-scented boronia, lemon plant, lemon thyme.
The shrub is endemic to Tasmania, with a widespread distribution.
Diamante citron
Genoa was known to supply citron for the Jews since the times of the Tosafists, along with surrounding municipalities Sanremo, Bordighera, and the rest of Liguria. The city is located in the region of Liguria, which itself has a long history of citron cultivation, thanks to the massive mountain chain (Apennines) which protects it from turbulent winds.
Citrus halimii
Citrus halimii or Mountain citron is a sour fruit variety belonging to the citrus papedas, not related to the true citron. It was first discovered and catalogued in 1973.
Absolut Citron
Absolut Citron is one of the major core flavors of Absolut Vodka. The name means "lemon" in Swedish, and it is made from citrus fruits. It is crafted from Swedish winter wheat and water comes from deep well in Åhus. Absolut Citron was launched in 1988.
The drink is best suited for cocktail cosmopolitans and among many other drinks.
Citron
The citron is used by Jews (the word for it in Hebrew is "etrog") for a religious ritual during the Jewish harvest holiday of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles; therefore, it is considered to be a Jewish symbol, one found on various Hebrew antiques and archaeological findings. Citrons used for ritual purposes cannot be grown by grafting branches.
Moroccan citron
Chapot was probably first to describe this variety of citron in detail, along with illustrations of many forms of the fruit, and all the properties of the shrub, leaves and blossoms. He also mentions that the true citron of Morocco, which is traditionally only grown in the region of Assads, for the sake of the mitzva of four species, and is oblong, acidless and rather dry, is much different than the rounded citron hybrid, Rhobs el Arsa, that is more commonly grown for food in the entire country of Morocco, and its taste is acidic and fruity.