Rue family
Description
A large family of aromatic shrubs, trees and some herbs, occasionally thorny, occurring in tropical and subtropical regions (Rutaceae 1).
The leaves are mostly compound, dotted with glands, alternate or opposite. The flowers are regular, with 4 or 5 sepals and petals, stamens as many or twice the number of petals, and a superior ovary. The fruit is usually a capsule or a berry.
The whole family comprises over 150 genera.
Use
Only the subfamily Aurantioideae is of great economic importance, the genus Citrus being most important. Here the fruit is a hesperidium, a berry whose fleshy parts are divided into segments, the whole structure surrounded by a separable skin which is dotted with glands that contain aromatic oils.
The family Rutaceae provides all citrus fruits as well as some others like the bael fruit.
Described species
Citrus sp., citrus
Citrus aurantifolia, lime
Citrus aurantium, seville, bitter or sour orange
Citrus grandis, pomelo or shaddock
Citrus limon, lemon
Citrus medica, citron
Citrus paradisi, grapefruit
Citrus reticulata, tangerine or mandarin
Citrus sinensis, sweet orange
Fortunella margarita, kumquat
Fortunella japonica, Japanese kumquat, see Fortunella margarita
Triphasia trifolia, limeberry, see Fortunella margarita
Aegle marmelos, bael fruit or Bengal quince
Casimiroa edulis, white sapote
Casimiroa tetrameria, see Casimiroa edulis
Clausena lansium, wampee, see Casimiroa edulis