Rangpur, ''Citrus'' × ''limonia'' or ''Citrus reticulata'' × ''medica'', sometimes called the rangpur lime, mandarin lime or lemandarin, is a hybrid between the
mandarin orange
A mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), often simply called mandarin, is a small, rounded citrus tree fruit. Treated as a distinct species of orange, it is usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. The mandarin is small and oblate, unlike the ...
and the
citron
The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick Peel (fruit), rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the Citrus taxonomy#Citrons, original citrus fruits from which al ...
. It is a
citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes.
''Citrus'' is nativ ...
fruit
In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering.
Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...
with a very
acid
An acid is a molecule or ion capable of either donating a proton (i.e. Hydron, hydrogen cation, H+), known as a Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory, Brønsted–Lowry acid, or forming a covalent bond with an electron pair, known as a Lewis ...
ic taste and an
orange peel and flesh.
Common names
Common names for this fruit include rangpur, the name of a
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
now in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
. Rangpur is also known in the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
as ''
Sylhet
Sylhet (; ) is a Metropolis, metropolitan city in the north eastern region of Bangladesh. It serves as the administrative center for both the Sylhet District and the Sylhet Division. The city is situated on the banks of the Surma River and, as o ...
lime'' (after another region also now in Bangladesh), ''surkh nimboo'', and ''sharbati''.
It is known as a ''canton-lemon'' in South China, a ''hime-lemon'' in Japan, as ''limão-cravo'' in Brazil, and ''mandarin-lime'' in the United States.
History
''Citrus'' × ''limonia'' was introduced into Florida in the late nineteenth century by Reasoner Brothers of Oneco, who obtained their seeds from northwestern India.
[U.C. Riverside Citrus Profile: Rangpur - ''Citrus × limonia''](_blank)
/ref> Though often described as a lemon hybrid, genomic analysis has shown it to be an F1 hybrid
F1 hybrid (also known as filial 1 hybrid) is the first filial generation of offspring of distinctly different parental types. F1 hybrids are used in genetics, and in selective breeding, where the term F1 crossbreed may be used. The term is somet ...
of a female citron (''Citrus medica'') and a male mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata'').[ and Supplement]
Use
Rangpurs are highly acidic and can be used as a substitute for limes. However the name lime in connection with this fruit is misleading, because there are very few similarities between the rangpur and other fruits called limes.
In 2006, Diageo
Diageo plc ( ) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational alcoholic beverage company, with its headquarters in London, England. It is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and other spirits and operates from 132 sites around the world ...
introduced a rangpur-flavored version of Tanqueray gin, known simply as Tanqueray Rangpur.
Cultivation
''Citrus'' × ''limonia'' is cultivated as an ornamental tree
Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...
for planting in gardens and a container plant on patios and terraces in the United States. Outside the U.S. it is used principally as a citrus rootstock.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rangpur (Fruit)
Citrus hybrids
Flora of India (region)
Garden plants of Asia
Ornamental trees
Lemons