pomelo

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• pomelo
• pummelo

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Aurantium decumana
• Citrus grandis f. buntan
• Citrus × aurantium var. grandis
• Aurantium maximum
• Sarcodactilis helicteroides
• Citrus grandis var. sphaerocarpos
• Citrus grandis
• Citrus grandis var. oblonga
• Citrus grandis var. sabon
• Citrus grandis var. yamabuki
• Citrus sabon
• Citrus pampelmos
• Citrus pompelmos
• Citrus obovoidea
• Citrus costata
• Citrus × aurantium f. grandis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Citrus maxima, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Sapindales and the family Rutaceae. Ultimately, it is situated within the genus Citrus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Citrus maxima, exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions. In the Indian Subcontinent, it can be found growing in the area of Assam. Its presence is also noted in West Tropical Africa, specifically within the nation of Gambia. Within China, the species is distributed across South-Central, Southeast, and the island of Hainan. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in various tropical and subtropical environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Citrus maxima is characterized by a broad adaptability to diverse topographical settings, spanning a significant altitudinal gradient. This species thrives across an elevational range that extends from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 2950 m AMSL. This wide distribution allows the plant to inhabit various ecological niches, from lowland tropical environments to higher-altitude montane zones, depending on the specific climatic and edaphic conditions present within these limits.

Elevational range max:

2950 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Citrus maxima is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist and thrive through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated woody structures, specifically categorized under the life forms of phanerophyte and nanophanerophyte depending on its developmental stage and environmental conditions. Throughout its existence, it maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that it retains its foliage year-round to facilitate continuous metabolic processes.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Citrus maxima is characterized by its robust growth form, primarily manifesting as a large tree, though it can also exhibit shrub-like qualities in certain developmental stages. It is a woody plant that reaches a significant plant height, with a mean height of approximately 6 m. As a terrestrial species, it is non-aquatic and does not function as an epiphyte, maintaining a stable existence on land. The plant is strictly self-supporting rather than acting as a climber (such as a liana or vine) and operates as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic tendencies.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

6 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Citrus maxima is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and energy production through the standard Calvin cycle. As a non-succulent species, the plant does not possess specialized thickened tissues for significant water storage, relying instead on its root system and vascular structure to maintain hydration and turgor pressure. Furthermore, Citrus maxima is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms; consequently, it depends on the uptake of nitrates or ammonium from the soil to meet its nutritional requirements for growth and development.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Citrus maxima is characterized by specific seed metrics and varied dispersal mechanisms. The seeds produced by this species exhibit a highly uniform mass, with a mean, maximum, and minimum value all recorded at 0.16393 g. Regarding its dispersal strategies, the plant utilizes a diverse range of syndromes to ensure its propagation, including anemochorous, autochorous, endozoochorous, epizoochorous, hydrochorous, myrmecocorous, and unspecialized zoochorous methods, as well as anthropochorous dispersal.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Seed mass mean:

0.16393 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Citrus maxima has 3 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf, seed.

Fruit

1. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
2. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Leaf

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine

Seed

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine

Chemicals

Citrus maxima has 53 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include LIMONENE, Flavonoids, Coumarins, naringenin, naringin.

LIMONENE

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of analytical methods in chemistry
3. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Natural product communications

Flavonoids

1. Frontiers in microbiology
2. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine
3. Plant biotechnology journal

Coumarins

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

naringenin

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

naringin

1. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
2. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society

3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-Heptamethoxyflavone

1. Frontiers in nutrition

6',7'-Epoxybergamottin

1. Frontiers in nutrition

6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Bergamottin

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Bergaptol

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Activities

Citrus maxima has 11 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antiepileptic.

Antioxidant

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
2. Food chemistry
3. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Food chemistry
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Anticancer

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine
2. Journal of medicinal food

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiepileptic

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine

Antiobesity

1. Journal of medicinal food

Antiproliferative

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Antitumor

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine

Hepatoprotective

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine

Medicinal Uses

Citrus maxima has 8 reported medicinal uses identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Breast Cancer, Cryptosporidiosis, colon cancer, cough, helminthiases.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations