citron

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Citrus × aurantium var. medica
• Citrus alata
• Citrus × aurantium var. proper
• Citrus bigena
• Citrus cedra
• Citrus gongra
• Citrus medica var. dulcis
• Citrus limonimedica
• Limon vulgare
• Limon spinosum
• Limon racemosum
• Citrus medica subsp. bajoum
• Citrus tuberosa
• Citrus medica var. tarung
• Citrus medica var. fructu-maxima
• Citrus medica var. tuberosa
• Citrus medica var. florentina
• Citrus medica var. odorata
• Citrus × aurantium subvar. chakotra
• Citrus × aurantium subvar. amilbed
• Citrus crassa
• Citrus fragrans
• Citrus aurea
• Citrus cedrata
• Citrus bicolor
• Citrus balotina
• Citrus × aurantium var. tamurana
• Citrus odorata
• Citrus gaoganensis
• Citrus kwangsiensis
• Citrus medica f. tamurana
• Citrus medica var. nana
• Citrus medica var. proper
• Citrus medica var. alata
• Citrus medica var. digitata
• Citrus medica subf. dulcis
• Citrus medica var. ethrog

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Sapindales and the family Rutaecae, it is classified under the genus Citrus. As Citrus medica, it represents a distinct medicinal species within this botanical hierarchy.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Citrus medica, exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key regions. In Northern Africa, it can be found growing in the territories of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Its range also extends into the Macaronesian islands located in the Atlantic Ocean. Specifically, it is documented in the Canary Islands as part of this island group. Additionally, the species is present in the Madeiran archipelago.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Citrus medica is characterized by its ability to inhabit diverse topographical settings, spanning a significant altitudinal gradient. This species thrives across an elevational range that begins at a minimum of 15 m AMSL and extends to a maximum of 1700 m AMSL. This broad vertical distribution allows the plant to adapt to varying climatic conditions and environmental pressures found across different mountain tiers and lowland regions.

Elevational range max:

1700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

15 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Citrus medica is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, meaning it maintains its vegetative structures and continues to live through multiple growing seasons rather than completing a single reproductive cycle. Throughout its lifespan, the plant exhibits an evergreen habit, consistently retaining its foliage and maintaining photosynthetic activity without the seasonal shedding of leaves typical of deciduous species. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle and evergreen status allows the plant to establish a stable presence in its habitat, providing a continuous canopy and a steady capacity for growth and fruit production over many years.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Citrus medica is characterized by a woody growth habit, manifesting primarily as a tree or a large shrub. It is a self-supporting plant that reaches an average height of approximately 4 m. As a strictly terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic tendencies, growing independently in its environment without being an obligatory or facultative parasite. The plant's structure is robust and non-climbing, functioning as a self-supporting woody organism rather than a liana or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

4 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Citrus medica is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which is typical for most woody perennial species in the Rutaceae family, utilizing the Calvin cycle to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide. In terms of water storage strategies, the plant does not exhibit succulence, relying instead on a standard vegetative structure and deep root systems to manage moisture requirements rather than specialized fleshy tissues. Furthermore, Citrus medica is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (such as Rhizobium) required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, making it dependent on the availability of nitrogenous compounds within the soil substrate for its nutritional needs.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

Reproduction in Citrus medica involves a complex process of sexual propagation primarily driven by the production of flowers that facilitate pollination, followed by the development of fleshy fruits containing numerous seeds. The dispersal of these seeds is characterized by a diverse range of mechanisms, functioning under multiple dispersal syndromes to ensure species survival and spread. Specifically, the plant exhibits an endozoochorous syndrome, where seeds are consumed and transported via the digestive tracts of animals, as well as anthropochorous dispersal, occurring through human intervention and movement. Additionally, its reproductive strategy encompasses anemochorous (wind), autochorous (self-dispersal), epizoochorous (external animal transport), and hydrochorous (water) tendencies, alongside myrmecocorous (ant-mediated) and generally zoochorous or unspecialized patterns, allowing for a highly versatile colonization capability across various environments.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Citrus medica has 2 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf.

Fruit

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry

Leaf

1. Tropical life sciences research
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Citrus medica has 60 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, LIMONENE, Narirutin, Terpenes, naringin.

Flavonoids

1. Tropical life sciences research
2. Pharmaceutics
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

LIMONENE

1. Dental research journal
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Narirutin

1. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
2. Yakushigaku zasshi

Terpenes

1. Pharmaceutics
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

naringin

1. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
2. Yakushigaku zasshi

(-)-balanophonin

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

4-methoxy salicylic acid

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

ARSENIC

1. Dr. Duke

Alcohols

1. Tropical life sciences research

Alkanes

1. Tropical life sciences research

Activities

Citrus medica has 229 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antiviral, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Dental research journal

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Galen medical journal

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutics

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Hypolipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Anesthetic

1. Dr. Duke

Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Citrus medica has 19 reported medicinal uses identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include inflammation, Ascaris lumbricoides, COVID-19, E. coli, anti-oxidant.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations