Citrus limetta | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Rutaceae |
Genus: | Citrus |
Species: | C. limetta
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Binomial name | |
Citrus limetta |
Citrus limetta, alternatively considered to be a cultivar of Citrus limon, C. limon 'Limetta',[1] is a species of citrus, commonly known as mousami, musami, mosambi, sweet lime, sweet lemon, and sweet limetta, it is a member of the sweet lemons. It is small and round like a common lime in shape.[2] It is a cross between the citron (Citrus medica) and a bitter orange (Citrus × aurantium).[3]
It is native to southern regions of Iran[4] and also cultivated in the Mediterranean Basin. It is a different fruit from the Palestinian sweet lime[5] and from familiar sour limes such as the Key lime and the Persian lime. However, genomic analysis revealed it to be highly similar to the Rhobs el Arsa, and the two likely represent progeny of distinct crosses of the same citrus parents.[3]
The South Asian cultivars originated in Mozambique and were brought to South Asia by the Portuguese. The common name musambi and its variants trace their origin to Mozambique.[6][7]