Marrakech Limonette

Citrus limetta Risso RUTACEAE

CRC 3989
PI 539280
VI 573

Source

Received as budwood from Morocco, 1987.

Parentage/origins

Parents unknown.

Rootstocks of accession

Carrizo citrange, C-35 citrange

Season of ripeness at Riverside

Year-round

Notes and observations

This accession was requested by W. P. Bitters for the Citrus Variety Collection

Description from The Citrus Industry Vol. 1 (1967)

"Fruit medium-sized, depressed subglobose, commonly ribbed; base rounded or somewhat flattened; apex strongly flattened with broad and deep areolar furrow surrounding a prominent nipple. Rind thin, moderately pitted with sunken oil glands; somewhat bumpy; adherent; color light yellowish-orange. Segments about 11; axis medium in size and open. Flesh color pale yellow; juicy; very sour and aromatic. Moderately seedy, moderately polyembryonic, and chalazal spot purple.

Tree vigorous, large, upright-spreading and open, lightly spiny, and highly productive; leaves lemon-like, but more oval, less sharp-pointed, and usually somewhat cupped at upper end. Flowers purple in the bud and new growth purple-tinted. Flowers somewhat throughout the year but mainly in spring.

According to Chapot (1969a), this fruit is confined to Morocco, where presumably it is native, and was first described by Guillaumin (1921). It has little economic importance and is used mainly as an ornamental though also as a lemon substitute."