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Key lime (Citrus × aurantiifolia)
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

On the map in 2 countries crop

Key lime

Citrus × aurantiifolia

Family: Rutaceae

On our map this plant appears in 2 countries and ranks highest in: Dominica, Oman.

A small, thorny tree of the citrus family, growing to 3–5 m, with small, elliptical, aromatic leaves and fragrant white flowers. The fruits are small and round, with a thin green or yellowish rind and very sour, juicy flesh. The species originates in South-East Asia and is grown throughout the tropics for its juice, for the essential oil from its rind and for fruit eaten fresh.

Description from: Dominica.

More: Wikipedia (en) Wikipedia (pl) Plants of the World Online (Kew)

Significance in each country

  1. Dominica no. 4 of 5 cultivated

    From the second half of the 19th century extensive lime plantations were established on Dominica, and the firm L. Rose & Co. processed juice here for export to Britain – including as an anti-scurvy remedy for the navy; after tree diseases…

  2. Oman no. 7 of 8 cultivated

    Limes boiled in brine and dried in the sun until dark brown (loomi) are a spice known in the cuisines of the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Iran as “Omani lime”.