The Rutaceae are herbs, shrubs, and trees with glandular punctate, commonly strongly smelling herbage comprising about 150 genera and 1,500 species that are further characterized by the common occurrence of spines and winged petioles. The leaves are alternate or opposite, simple or palmately or pinnately compound, or sometimes heathlike or reduced to spines; stipules are absent. The flowers are often sweet-scented, nearly always bisexual, and are actinomorphic or sometimes zygomorphic. The calyx consists of 3-5 distinct or basally connate sepals and the corolla consists of 3-5 distinct or sometimes connate petals or rarely the petals are lacking. The androecium consists of distinct or sometimes connate stamens that are commonly obdiplostemonous, that is in two whorls with the outer whorl opposite the petals. However, sometimes there may be (1)3-4 whorls or rarely up to 60 stamens. The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil of commonly 2-5 or more, often incompletely connate carpels that may be united only basally or apically, either one or an equal number of styles, and a superior ovary with usually 2-5 or more locules, each bearing 1-several axile ovules. Generally, an intrastaminal nectary disk is situated between the stamens and the ovary. The fruit is variable. -- Gerald Carr.
Evergreen, small trees or shrubs, often spiny. Leaves simple, alternate, glandular punctate, petiole winged or margined. Flowers perfect or staminate, solitary or clustered in axillary racemes. Calyx 4-5-lobed, glabrous or pubescent. Petals (4-) 5(-8). Stamens 4-10 times the petals, polyadelphous. Ovary 10-14-locular, ovules biseriate or collateral. Fruit a fleshy hesperidium, globose to mamillate-oblong to oblate, rind tight or loose, with oil glands. Seeds embedded in pulpy vesicles.
Most or all of the species are cultivated, derived from the native species of tropical and subtropical regions of SE. Asia. Because of its great economic importance, domestication, cultivation and hybridization of the species has led to many varieties and forms, thus providing taxonomic problems. The following account of the species is primarily based on the work of Tanaka & Swingle with modifications in the treatment of the varieties.
Tanaka has described over 100 species. A genus widely cultivated.[1]
Habit: Deciduous.
Flowers: Bloom Period: March.
Culture: Space 36-48" apart.
Soil: Minimum pH: 7.6 • Maximum pH: 9.0
Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun.
Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)
There are approximately 685 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: C. aurantifolia latifolia · C. aurantifolia murgetana · C. bergamia mellarosa · C. limetta murcica · C. reticulata tachibana · C. sechen sjanchen · C. sinensis crassa · C. sinensis fetifera · C. sinensis hierochuntica · C. sinensis lusitanica · C. floridana · C. tangelo · C. temple · C. 'Clem-Yuz 3-3' (Mandarin Orange) · C. 'Clemenpons' · C. 'Fukushu' · C. 'Kulci' · C. 'La Valette' · C. 'Lipo' · C. 'Loretina' · C. 'Ponderosa' · C. 'Pursta' · C. 'Tangerine' · C. acida · C. adami · C. alata · C. albida · C. amara · C. amblycarpa (Nasnaran Mandarin) · C. amblycarpa djeruk lime · C. ampullacea · C. angulata · C. annamensis · C. anonyma · C. arethusa · C. articulata · C. asahikan · C. assamensis · C. aurantiaca · C. aurantiacum · C. aurantiata 'Chinese Citron' · C. aurantifolia 'Paduk' · C. aurantifolia 'Persian Lime' (Lime) · C. aurantifolia subsp. latifolia · C. aurantifolia subsp. murgetana · C. aurantifolia x · C. aurantifolium · C. aurantiifolia (Key Lime) · C. aurantiifolia 'Bearss' · C. aurantiifolia 'Breegold' · C. aurantiifolia 'Lima Bears' · C. aurantiifolia 'Mexican' · C. aurantiifolia 'Tahiti Lime' · C. aurantiifolia Indian lime · C. aurantiifolia key lime · C. aurantiifolia x Fortunella · C. aurantiifolia × limon · C. aurantioides · C. aurantium (Bergamot) · C. aurantium 'Aber's Narrowleaf' · C. aurantium 'Bigaradier Apepu' · C. aurantium 'Bittersweet' · C. aurantium 'Bouquet de Fleurs' · C. aurantium 'Bouquetier de Nice à Fleurs Doubles' · C. aurantium 'Bouquetier de Nice' · C. aurantium 'Gou-tou Cheng' · C. aurantium 'Sauvage' · C. aurantium 'Seville' · C. aurantium 'Smooth Flat Seville' · C. aurantium 'Willowleaf' · C. aurantium amara · C. aurantium aurantium · C. aurantium bergamia (Bergamot Orange) · C. aurantium f. deliciosa · C. aurantium f. grandis · C. aurantium f. intermedia · C. aurantium f. natsudaidai · C. aurantium junos · C. aurantium L. var. myrtifolia Ker Gawl. · C. aurantium subf. ampullacea · C. aurantium subf. anonyma · C. aurantium subf. asahikan · C. aurantium subf. banyu · C. aurantium subf. benikawa · C. aurantium subf. canaliculata · C. aurantium subf. cyathifera · C. aurantium subf. dulcis · C. aurantium subf. glaberrima · C. aurantium subf. hakunikuyu · C. aurantium subf. iyo · C. aurantium subf. jiyu · C. aurantium subf. medioglobosa · C. aurantium subf. mitsuyu · C. aurantium subf. omikanto · C. aurantium subf. pseudogulgul · C. aurantium subf. sekitoyu · C. aurantium subf. sinensis · C. aurantium subf. sinograndis · C. aurantium subf. soyu · C. aurantium subf. sulcata
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