Citrus limon

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Canton lemon
• Chinese dwarf lemon
• Meyer lemon
• Otaheite orange
• Rangpur lime
• balotin bergamot
• chine lemon
• cravo lemon
• dwarf lemon
• hime lemon
• karna
• lemandarin
• lemonage
• limetta of the Mediterranean
• lumia of the Mediterranean
• mandarin lime
• marmalade lime
• red lemon
• sweet lemon
• sweet lime

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Citrus × limonia var. limetta
• Citrus × aurantium var. bergamia
• Citrus × gordonia
• Citrus medica subsp. lumia
• Citrus × aurata var. pomum-adami
• Citrus medica f. limon
• Citrus medica subsp. limon
• Citrus × limon var. pompia
• Citrus × limonum var. dulcis
• Citrus × limonum var. racemosa
• Citrus × mellarosa var. plena
• Citrus × mellarosa var. vulgaris
• Citrus × bergamia var. parva
• Citrus × adami
• Citrus × dimorphocarpa
• Citrus × limetta
• Citrus × limetta subsp. murcica
• Citrus × limonum
• Citrus × limodulcis
• Citrus × limonia
• Citrus × limonelloides
• Citrus × aurantium var. khatta
• Citrus × aurantium subsp. khatta
• Citrus × limonia khatta
• Citrus × limonia var. digitata
• Citrus × limetta var. acris
• Citrus × limetta var. hispanica
• Citrus × limetta var. romana
• Citrus medica var. limetta
• Citrus × limetta var. tuberculosa
• Citrus limetta var. vulgaris
• Citrus × limettioides
• Citrus × limetta var. auraria
• Citrus × limetta var. fructo-pumila
• Citrus × limetta var. limoniformis
• Citrus × limetta var. fructo-stellata
• Citrus × limetta var. bergamia
• Citrus × limetta var. peretta
• Citrus medica var. limon
• Citrus × limetta var. pomum-adami
• Citrus × aurata var. gordonia
• Citrus × limetta var. pomum-rosae
• Citrus × limonum var. cortico-tenuis
• Citrus × limonum var. striata
• Citrus medica var. limonum
• Citrus × limonum var. calabrina
• Citrus × limonum var. sbardonii
• Citrus medica subsp. limonum
• Citrus × limonum var. incomparabilis
• Citrus × limonum var. fructu-pusillo
• Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis
• Citrus × limonum var. caly
• Citrus × limonum var. pulpa-dulci
• Citrus × mellarosa
• Citrus × limonum var. ponzina
• Citrus × meyeri
• Citrus × limonum var. rosolina
• Citrus × sarcodactylis
• Citrus × limonum var. citrata-pumila
• Citrus × aurantium subsp. bergamia
• Citrus × limonum var. bignetta
• Citrus × limonum var. bignetta-fructo-maxima
• Citrus × aurantium var. mellarosa
• Citrus × limonum var. citrata
• Citrus × aurata
• Citrus × bergamota
• Citrus × limonum var. gaietana
• Citrus × bergamia
• Citrus × limonum var. imperialis
• Citrus × bergamia subsp. mellarosa
• Citrus × limonum var. fructu-elongato
• Citrus × limonum var. amalphitana
• Citrus × limonum var. balotina
• Citrus × limonum var. laurae
• Citrus × limonum var. paradisi
• Citrus × limonum var. fructu-bipapillato

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Sapindales. Finally, it is a member of the family Rutaceae and is categorized under the genus Citrus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several distinct Mediterranean and Atlantic regions. In Southwestern Europe, it is commonly found growing throughout Portugal and Spain. Its range extends into Southeastern Europe, where it can be located in Albania. The species also flourishes in Northern Africa, particularly within the country of Morocco. Finally, its geographical reach includes the Macaronesian islands, specifically Cape Verde.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Citrus × limon is characterized by its preference for lowland habitats, where it thrives within a specific altitudinal gradient. The species is typically found at a mean elevation of 400 m AMSL, though its distribution spans a broad vertical range from a minimum of 80 m AMSL to a maximum elevation of 2620 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

2620 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

80 m AMSL

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Citrus × limon is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist and produce fruit over many successive growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located on aerial shoots well above the ground, a structural trait that defines its robust growth habit. The plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that it retains its foliage throughout the year, which facilitates continuous photosynthetic activity. This combination of a perennial lifecycle and a phanerophyte life form enables the species to establish a stable and enduring presence in its environment.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Citrus × limon is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically categorized as a tree. It is a terrestrial plant that functions as a self-supporting organism, meaning it is neither a climber (such as a vine or liana) nor an epiphyte. As an independent species, it does not exhibit parasitic behavior. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a height ranging from a maximum of 3 m to an average height of approximately 6 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3 m

Plant height mean:

6 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Citrus × limon is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation and energy production processes. The plant's foliage exhibits specific morphological dimensions, with leaves typically reaching a maximum length of 10 cm. The width of these leaves is highly consistent, maintaining both a mean and a minimum value of 4 cm, which also serves as the maximum recorded width. Regarding water storage strategies, the plant does not exhibit succulence, relying instead on standard transpiration and hydraulic conductance methods. Furthermore, Citrus × limon is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, instead relying on soil nitrogen availability for its nutritional requirements.

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf width mean:

4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Citrus × limon involves a combination of sexual and asexual processes, including above-ground asexual reproduction. The flowering period typically begins around February and concludes in April, though the timing can be variable across different environments. The plant exhibits a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. In terms of fertilization, self-fertilization is present, allowing for successful seed production. The resulting fruit is characterized by a mean length of 5.3 cm and a mean width of 5.2 cm. The seeds produced are highly consistent in their physical properties, maintaining a mean seed mass of 0.11804 g (with a minimum and maximum also at 0.11804 g) and a mean seed volume of 130 mm³ (with the minimum and maximum also at 130 mm³). Finally, the dispersal of the species is primarily anthropochorous, meaning it is aided by human activity.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flowering time :

Feb

Flowering time :

Apr

Fruit length mean:

5.3 cm

Fruit width mean:

5.2 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

above-ground

Seed mass mean:

0.11804 g

Seed volume max:

130 mm³

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Citrus × limon has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit.

Fruit

1. Fitoterapia

Chemicals

Citrus × limon has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 5-HYDROXYMETHYLFURFURAL, malonic acid.

5-HYDROXYMETHYLFURFURAL

1. Fitoterapia

malonic acid

1. Fitoterapia