LATIN NAME: Citrus Australasica COMMON NAMES: Finger Lime FAMILY: Rutaceae Citrus - A small genus of about nine species, four of which occur in Australia and are endemic. They are closely related to citrus and are thorny shrubs or trees with acid, edible fruit. APPEARANCE/DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Shrub, 1-6m high; leaves, branchlets and thorns all green and hairless. Leaves narrow-elliptic to narrow rhombic, bluntly toothed, 11-4cm long. Often notched at the apex, with numerous oil glands, aromatic. Thorns numerous, stiff, up to 2cm long. Fruit green, finger shaped, up to 8cm long, resembling a lemon when cut. Small-scented orange-blossom flowers. Varies from dense to spindly. HABITAT LOCATION, GROWING CONDITIONS: Dry rainforest and sub-tropical rainforest. Common in regrowth north of Ballina to Mt Tamborine - found in riverine, littoral or seasonally dry rainforest. Slow growing, tolerates colder areas, hardy in sun or shade. Tolerates poorer soils provided they drain freely. EDIBLE PARTS: Fruit, with a pleasantly acid, edible juice. Can be made into marmalade - this is ornamental as well as nice tasting, because the sliced rings of fruit look like miniature cart wheels. When this fruit is cut across the turgid pulp cells expand and separate pushing out of the 5 or 8 longitudinal segments as a cluster of small glistening 'peárls': also made into vinegar. Flower Feb - May. Fruit - May Sept (though mine began flowering in Oct! TRADITIONAL ABORIGINAL USES: Fruit eaten fresh. OTHER FUNCTIONS: Living fence; INTOLERANCES: PROPAGATION: Both seeds and cuttings may take many months to develop roots. A shrub or bushy tree to about 6 m tall with very prickly branches. The narrow-oblong to obovate leaves, to 2.5 cm x 1 cm. are dark green with slightly scalloped margins. Small, white or pink, fragrant flowers about 1.2 cm across are followed by cylindrical, greenish yellow fruit about 10 cm long. Ripe May-Sept. Distribution: Endemic to south-eastern Qld and north eastern NSW. Notes and Cultivation: This species occurs in lowland and highland rainforests. Plants are almost impenetrably dense and thorny. They are of interest chiefly because of their unusual fruit which is tart but tasty when ripe and can be used for drinks and marmalade. Trees are slow growing and will grow in sunny or shady situations in well-drained soil. Once established plants are quite hardy. They respond to the use of fertilisers. Propagation: From seed, by cuttings which are slow or by budding onto citrus rootstock. Variation: The var. sanguinea from Mt Tamborine has reddish fruit with pink to bright-red pulp and pink flowers. Citrus australis Trop-Temp. Wild Lime. Round Lime Aug.-Nov. Description: A dense shrub or tree to about S m tall with prickly branches. The ovate to almost rhomboid leaves, to 5 cm x 1 cm, are dark green and leathery, the margins shortly scalloped. White to pinkish, fragrant flowers about 1cm across are followed by globular fruit 2-7 cm across, greenish-yellow when ripe. Ripe Aug-Nov. Distribution: Endemic to south-eastern Qld. Notes and Cultivation: A common species often found along stream banks. Plants are very bushy and prickly and are mainly of merest for their fruit which can be used to make drinks or marmalade. Plants are very slow growing and require shady or semi-shady conditions in moist, well drained soil. Propagation: From seed, by cuttings which are slow- or by budding onto citrus stock. Citrus garrawayi Trop.-S.Trop. Mount White Lime Aug-Dec. Description: A shrub or bushy tree to about 6m with very thorny branches. The dull-green, fairly thick-textured leaves, to 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm, are ovate to rhomboid, sometimes notched at the apex. White, fragrant flowers about 1 cm across are followed by ovoid to cylindrical, roughened, greenish-yellow, sticky fruit 5-8 cm long. Ripe Apr. Distribution: Endemic to Mt White on Cape York Peninsula. Notes and Cultivation: A rare species which has been introduced to cultivation. Plants have limited ornamental appeal and are mainly of interest because of the fruit which can be used to make drinks or marmalade. Plants are very slow' growing and need protection when small but they are hardy once established. They require free drainage and plenty of water during dry periods. Propagation: From seed, by cuttings which are slow or by budding onto citrus stock. Citrus inodora Trop -S.Tro Russell River Lime Aug.-Sept. Description: A bushy shrub, to about 6 m tall, with thorny branches. The dark-green, leathery leaves to 20cm x 10cm are broad-lanceolate with shallowly scalloped margins. White to pink flowers about 1cm across are followed by ovoid, yellow fruit about 6 cm long. Ripe Jan. Distribution: Endemic to north-eastern Qld Notes and Cultivation: A fairly rare species from near coastal areas. Plants require shady conditions, plenty of water and organically rich, loamy soil although they will grow in poorer soils. They are very slow growing. The fruit can be used to make drinks or marmalade. Propagation: From seed, by cuttings which are slow or by budding onto citrus stock.