Chittagong, the Western Ghats, and Satpura range in Central India.
A shrub or small tree, flowering and fruiting at most seasons growing where, says J. D. Hooker, I found it on steep hill-sides (in Sikkim). Young shoots glabrous, purple. Leaflets glabrous, 3-Gin., elliptic ovate or ovate-lanceolate ; petiole naked or winged. Flowers 6-10in., a raceme, small or middle-side, often unisexual. Stamens 20-40 ; petals generally more or less pink. Fruit globose, ovoid, or oblong, often mamillate at the apex. The stamens are 25-55, says Brandis. Brandis found it, says he, (1) apparently wild in the outer valleys of Kumaon (1875) ; {2) in the outer valleys of Sikkim (1879) ; (4) Damrahal, Garo Hills (1879), a tree of 6ft. girth, 40ft. high; (5) upper Yunzalim Valley above Lomatee, in swamps and near streams (1880). Reported to be wild in the Eastern Dun, on the Satpura Hills and the Western Ghats in the Bombay Presidency (Talbot), Chitagong and on the Khasi Hills (H. K. and W.).
Of the more cultivated forms may be mentioned the following four varieties :-—
Var. 1 C. medica proper, the Citron. Var. II. C. Limonum, the Lemon. Var. III. C. Acida, the sour lime of India. Var. IV. C. Limetta, the Sweet Lime of India.
Variety I. C. Medica proper, the Citron. Roxb. 590. Leaflet oblong, petiole short, margined or not, flowers usually numerous ; fruit larger oblong or ovoid, or irregularly shaped, mamilla obtuse, rind usually warted, thick, tender; very aromatic, bitter, scanty subacid pulp.
Sans. : — Matulunga ; phalá púra ; bega púra.
Vern. : — Bijaura ; limbu ; Kutla ; baranimbu (H.); Beg-pura ; lebu ; nebu ; bijaura; honsa nebu (B.); Bajauri nimbu (Pb).; Bijoru; turanj ; bálank (Guz.); Bijapura ; mahalunga ; bijori ; binu (Roxb) ; Máhalung (M.) ; Turanj (Dec.) ; Elumich champazham ; nárttam pazham (Tam.) ; Nimma pandu ; naradabba (Tel.); Nimbe hanu ; limbu (Kan.)
Parts used : — The rind, pulp, seeds and leaves.
