- Citrus glauca
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Desert Lime 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Sapindales Family: Rutaceae Genus: Citrus Species: C. glauca Binomial name Citrus glauca
(Lindl.) BurkillCitrus glauca (formerly Eremocitrus glauca) is also known as Desert Lime. It is a thorny shrub or small tree endemic to semi-arid regions of Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia
The desert lime fruit is a highly prized bushfood used in a range of products, including marmalades, beverages, and glaced fruit. It has a strong lime-like flavour.
It is wild harvested from surviving bushland areas where it is relatively common. However, C. glauca has also been extensively cleared from some areas due to agricultural practices. Commercial cultivation is beginning to reduce the reliance on wild harvested product.
Research indicates that C. glauca is one of the most resilient Citrus species, being comparatively heat, drought, and cold tolerant. Hence the species is potentially important for Citrus breeding programmes, and readily hybridises with many common Citrus species.
References
- Cherikoff, Vic, The Dining Downunder Cookbook, ISBN 0-9752021-0-3
- Cherikoff, Vic, The Bushfood Handbook ISBN 00646-15496-6
- Cherikoff, Vic, Uniquely Australian ISBN 0-646-07470-9
- Bruneteau, Jean-Paul, Tukka, Real Australian Food, ISBN 0-207-18966-8.
- Low, Tim, Wild Food Plants of Australia, ISBN 0207143838 .
Categories:- Fruit tree stubs
- Rutaceae stubs
- Australian rosid stubs
- Bushfood
- Trees of Australia
- Flora of New South Wales
- Flora of Queensland
- Australian cuisine
- Citrus
- Sapindales of Australia
- Crops originating from Australia
- Desert fruit
- Drought-tolerant trees
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