Common Names
in English: caffre lime, leech lime, Mauritius papeda
in Burma: shouk-pote
in Cambodia: krauch soeuch
in China: cabuyao, jian ye cheng
in Indonesia: boh krut, jeruk purut, limau mungkur, limo purut
in Laos: ‘khi ‘hout
in Malaysia: limau hantu, limau purut
in Philippines: kabuyau, kolobot, kulubut
in Thailand: ma kruut
in Vietnam: trúc
Floral Description
Trees 3-6 m tall. Branchlets with spines. Leaves dark red when young; petiole winged, apex rounded to truncate; leaf blade ovate, 5-8 × 2.5-4.5 cm, 1-2.5 cm longer (rarely same length) and 0.5-1 cm wider than winged petiole, tertiary veins conspicuous, margin apically conspicuously and sparsely crenate, apex narrowly obtuse. Inflorescences with (1 or)3-5 flowers; peduncle 1-5 mm. Flower buds globose. Calyx lobes 4 or 5, broadly triangular, ca. 4 × 6 mm. Petals white but pinkish red outside, 7-10 mm. Stamens ca. 30; filaments distinct. Style short, thick. Fruit lemon yellow, ellipsoid to subglobose, 5-7 × 3-5 cm, slightly coarse or smooth, oil dots numerous and prominent, apex rounded; pericarp thick; sarcocarp in 11-13 segments, very acidic and slightly bitter. Seeds numerous 1.5-1.8 × 1-1.2 cm, ridged; embryo solitary; cotyledons milky white.
Although apparently native to S China into SE Asia and Malesia, the natural distribution of this species is obscured by cultivation. Selected forms are cultivated throughout the warm parts of the world for their culinary (leaves) and medicinal (fruit) uses. All named taxa (save perhaps some from central Malesia) seem to have been based on cultivated plants as discussed by Mabberley (Gard. Bull. Singapore 54: 173-184. 2002). Commonly seen in China are cultivated plants (the "lime leaves" of commerce) with the following characteristics: leaf blade broadly elliptic, apex obtuse to rounded; fruit subglobose, ca. 4 × 3.5 cm, smooth, apex with a papilla; pericarp ca. 2 mm thick; sarcocarp in 6 or 7 segments, 6-8-seeded but 1 or 2 seeds undeveloped; seeds pyramidal, 1.5-1.8 × 1-1.4 cm, 0.8-1.2 mm thick, with alveolate ridges.
Chemical Constitutes
(-)-Carene(-)-3-Carene, (-)-S-Citronellal, (E)-beta-Farnesene, (E)-Caryophyllene, (E)-Ocimene, (R)-linalool, (Z)-Ocimene, 2,6-Dimethyl-1,3,5,7-octatetraene, 2-Methylfuran, 2-Phenylethanol, 4(10)-Thujene, 6-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one, Acetone, Allo-Ocimene, alpha-Bergamotene, alpha-Myrcene, alpha-Pinene, alpha-Terpinene, alpha-Thujene, Benzene acetonitrile, beta-Bisabolene, beta-Pinene, Calamenene, Carvyl acetate, Citronellal, Copaene, Cyclohexane, delta-Elemene, Ethanol, Hexanal, Isopropanol, Limonene, Methyl acetate, Methyl anthranilate, Myrcene, n-Hexanol, Neo-allo-ocimene, p-Cymene, Pentadecane, Sabinene hydrate, Sabinene hydrate
Activities and Uses
Medicinal and insecticide uses, for washing the head and treating the feet to kill land leeches. Leaves an ingredient in a paste applied to the forehead as a remedy for headache and pain in the joints. Unripe fruits eaten for sore throats; fruits an ingredient of obat luar, a body powder used by mothers after childbirth. A decoction of the bark, together with that of Lansium domesticum, Mangifera indica and Citrus aurantifolia, taken for bloody diarrhea.
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