Citrus australasica

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Finger lime
Citrus australasica green fruit1.JPG
Green skin type finger lime
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Citrus
Species:
C. australasica
Binomial name
Citrus australasica
Synonyms [3]
  • Microcitrus australasica(F.Muell.) Swingle
  • Citrus australasica var. sanguinea F.M.Bailey
  • Microcitrus australasica var. sanguinea(F.M.Bailey) Swingle

Citrus australasica, the finger lime or caviar lime, is a thorny understorey shrub or small tree of lowland subtropical rainforest in the coastal border region of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. It has edible fruits which are grown as a commercial crop.

Contents

Description

Citrus australasica is a shrub or small tree to about 10 m (33 ft) tall with sharp spines up to 2.5 cm (1 in) long in the leaf axils . The leaves are light green in colour, obovate or rhombic in shape, and arranged alternately along the twigs. They measure up to 2.5 cm (1 in) wide and long, but may reach 5 cm (2 in) long, and they may be faintly crenate (scalloped) towards the apex. Like many other plants in the genus, the leaves contain numerous oil glands and are aromatic when crushed. [4] [5]

The flowers are either solitary or paired and are set on peduncles about 3 mm (0.12 in) long. The sepals are tiny, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long, the white petals are up to 9 mm (0.35 in) long. Stamens number between 20 and 25. [4] [5]

The fruit is a botanical berry, cylindrical and tapered at both ends, slightly curved and about 8 cm (3.1 in) long. The skin is rough with numerous oil glands, and greenish yellow to pink. They contain numerous pale seeds about 7 mm (0.28 in) long. [4] [5] [6]

Two red finger limes, shown next to an Australian ten-cent coin (23 mm (0.91 in) diameter) Finger limes - size comparison.jpg
Two red finger limes, shown next to an Australian ten-cent coin (23 mm (0.91 in) diameter)

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, and was published in the first volume of his massive work Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ in 1858. [7] American botanist Walter Tennyson Swingle, in a 1915 review of the genus Citrus, placed all four Australian species in a new genus Microcitrus, based on morphological features which he said gave "[...] these plants a very different aspect from the commonly cultivated species of Citrus." [8] :569 However, in a paper published in 1998, British botanist David Mabberley discussed the mix of morphological features present throughout the subtribe Citrineae (genera Clymenia, Eremocitrus, Fortunella, Microcitrus and Poncirus) and the ease with which species can be crossed, and subsequently restored the finger lime to Citrus. [9]

Distribution and habitat

The finger lime is native to the southeastern corner of Queensland and the northeastern corner of New South Wales, from the area around Brisbane to the Clarence River. It grows in coastal rainforest and extends into neighbouring open forest, often on soils derived from basalt. It is favoured by disturbance. [4] [5] [10]

Australian limes

[6]

Conservation

As of December 2024, this species has been assessed to be of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and by the Queensland Government under its Nature Conservation Act. [1] [11]

Pests and diseases

The finger lime is susceptible to a range of insect pests, including scale insects, katydids, larvae of various moths and butterflies, some bugs, grasshoppers and others. [12] :6 However, it is not a host to the Queensland fruit fly Bactrocera tryoni, saving Australian growers the extra burden of treatment before export. [12] :7

Research conducted since the 1970s indicated that a wild selection of C. australasica was highly resistant to Phytophthora citrophthora root disease, which has resulted in a cross-breeding program with finger lime to develop disease-resistant citrus rootstock. In 2020, researchers began working with C. australasica to develop solutions for Citrus greening disease. [13]

Cultivation and uses

History

Red finger lime with juice vesicles partially extracted Finger lime - juice vesicles - 01.jpg
Red finger lime with juice vesicles partially extracted

It is thought that for at least 60,000 years, First Peoples living along the east coast of Australia have been eating finger limes.[ citation needed ]

The fruit is high in vitamin C and the skin can be used to heal cuts and wounds.[ citation needed ]

Early settlers consumed the fruit and retained the trees when clearing for agriculture. Colonial botanists suggested that they should be cultivated, due to the lack of citrus alternatives. [14]

Rising demand

The finger lime has been popularised as a gourmet bushfood. [12] The globular juice vesicles (also known as pearls) have been called "lime caviar", [15] [16] and can be used as a garnish or added to various recipes. The fresh vesicles have the effect of a burst of effervescent tangy flavour as they are chewed. The juice is acidic and similar to that of a lime. Marmalade and pickles are also made from finger lime. Finger lime peel can be dried and used as a spice. [6]

Commercial use of finger lime fruit started in the mid-1990s with boutique marmalades made from wild harvested fruit. By 2000 the finger lime was being sold in restaurants, and exported fresh. [6]

The finger lime is grown on a commercial basis in Australia in response to high demand for the fruit. There is an increasing range of genetic selections which are budded onto citrus rootstock. With the sudden high market demand for the fruit the primary source of genetic material for propagation has been selections from wild stock.[ citation needed ]

The CSIRO has also developed several Citrus hybrids by crossing the finger lime with standard Citrus species, creating cultivars which produce finger limes in many different colours ranging from light pink to deep blue-green. Finger lime is thought to have the widest range of colour variation within any Citrus species.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trifoliate orange</span> Species of plant in the Rutaceae family

The trifoliate orange, Citrus trifoliata, is a member of the family Rutaceae. Whether the trifoliate oranges should be considered to belong to their own genus, Poncirus, or be included in the genus Citrus is debated. The species is unusual among citrus for having deciduous, compound leaves and pubescent (downy) fruit.

<i>Hymenosporum</i> Genus of plant in the family Pittosporaceae

Hymenosporum is a monotypic genus of trees in the family Pittosporaceae. The sole included species is Hymenosporum flavum, commonly known as native frangipani, found in the rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests of New Guinea, Queensland and New South Wales. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the frangipani, but is related to the widespread genus Pittosporum.

<i>Citrus australis</i> Species of shrub

Citrus australis, the Dooja, round lime, Australian lime or Australian round lime, is a large shrub or small tree producing an edible fruit. It grows in forest margins in the Beenleigh area and northwards, in Queensland, Australia.

<i>Cordyline manners-suttoniae</i> Species of plant in the family Asparagaceae

Cordyline manners-suttoniae, commonly known as the giant palm lily, is an evergreen plant found only in rainforest of northeastern Queensland, Australia.

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<i>Carnarvonia araliifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

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Citrus wintersii, the Brown River finger lime, is a shrub native to the Brown River region in Papua-New Guinea. It was previously known as Microcitrus papuana. It has, as the "finger" name suggests, a small, thin fruit, pointed at both ends. It grows near Port Moresby.

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<i>Xanthophyllum octandrum</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Archidendron vaillantii</i> Species of flowering plant

Archidendron vaillantii, commonly known as the salmon bean, is an evergreen tree in the legume family Fabaceae. It is endemic to the rainforests of northeast Queensland.

<i>Benstonea monticola</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Fagraea fagraeacea</i> Species of flowering plant

Fagraea fagraeacea, commonly known as yellowheart or pink jitta, is a plant in the gentian family Gentianaceae which is native to New Guinea and Queensland.

<i>Atractocarpus sessilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Atractocarpus sessilis, commonly known as brown randia, is an evergreen shrub in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to both Queensland, Australia, and Papua New Guinea (PNG).

<i>Tetracera daemeliana</i> Species of flowering plant

Tetracera daemeliana, commonly known as large-leaved fire vine, is a vine in the guinea flower family Dilleniaceae first described in 1886, which is endemic to the northern half of Queensland, Australia. The flowers are pleasantly perfumed.

<i>Gillbeea adenopetala</i> Species of flowering plant

Gillbeea adenopetala, commonly known as Pink alder, is an evergreen tree in the largely southern hemisphere family Cunoniaceae. It was first described in 1865 and is endemic to a small part of Queensland, Australia.

<i>Cupaniopsis foveolata</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Larsenaikia ochreata</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Balanops australiana</i> Species of flowering plant

Balanops australiana, commonly known as pimplebark, is a plant in the family Balanopaceae found only in the coastal regions of northern and central Queensland, Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group & Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). (2021). "Citrus australasica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T64135401A192230151. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T64135401A192230151.en . Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  2. "Citrus australasica". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government . Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Citrus australasica F.Muell". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Mabberley, D.J. (2022). Kodela, P.G. (ed.). "Citrus australasica". Flora of Australia . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "PlantNET - FloraOnline". PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Koskinen, Jorma. "Native Australian and New Guinean citrus". Citrus Pages. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  7. Mueller, Ferdinand von (1858). Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ (in Latin). Vol. I. Melbourne: Joannis Ferres. p. 26. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  8. Swingle, W.T. (1915). "Microcitrus, a new genus of Australian citrous fruits". Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 5: 569–578.
  9. Mabberley, D.J. (1998). "Australian Citreae with notes on other Aurantioideae (Rutaceae)". Telopea. 7 (4): 333–344. doi:10.7751/telopea19982004.
  10. "Search: species: Citrus australasica | Occurrence records". Australasian Virtual Herbarium . Australian Government . Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  11. "Species profile—Citrus australasica". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 Hawkeswood, T.J. (2017). "A review of some publications concerning Citrus (Microcitrus) australasica F. Muell. (Rutaceae) in Australia and South-east Asia (mostly Thailand)". Calodema. 581: 1–14. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  13. Allen, Greg (27 July 2020). "Exotic Australian Fruit May Help Save Florida's Citrus Industry". NPR. National Public Radio . Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  14. Low, Tim (1998). Wild Food Plants of Australia. Sydney: Angus & Robertson Publishers. p. 69. ISBN   0-207-16930-6.
  15. Karp, David (23 December 2009). "Finger lime: the caviar of citrus". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  16. Taylor, Terri. "Nature's 'Little Pearls', The Exotic Finger Lime". Tambourine Mountain Daily Star. Archived from the original on 25 June 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2018.