Citrus glauca

Eremocitrus glauca

The Australian Wüstenlimette ( Eremocitrus glauca ) is a species of the rue family ( Rutaceae ). It is the only species of the genus Eremocitrus.

Origin

The Australian Wüstenlimette comes from the arid zones of Australia ( Central and Southern Queensland).

Description and site conditions

It is the only Citrusart that can survive for months without rain in deserts. It has been observed that near Longreach trees of the Australian Wüstenlimette have survived 15 months without rainfall in central Queensland, where otherwise no green vegetation was to be seen. If the Australian Wüstenlimette is in hibernation, that species can be up to -12 ° C survive. The hibernation is very pronounced and starts at higher temperatures than at other Citrus species. This results in a longer winter dormancy, which is comparable to that of kumquat.

The Australian Wüstenlimette has very lean, leathery leaves, gray - green, which are slightly hairy on both sides. The leaves are directed to the side edge to the sun ( Paraphototropismus ) in order to achieve a lower heating and evaporation. A distinction is not the top and bottom of the sheets.

The flowers are very small, three to five millimeters long and only six to ten millimeters in diameter, the fruits are round or oblong - ovate, 7-12 mm × 8-10 mm, have three to five fruit segments and a pleasant sour flavor. The maturation time of flowering to fruit maturity is only 2.5 up to 3 months.

Jungsämlinge start very slowly above ground to grow as first a strong root system is created. Is this incurred, begins a vigorous growth.

With the Australian Wüstenlimette that forms zygote seeds, many hybrids were created, in the hope of frost harder, early maturing varieties, or even frost harder to obtain salt-tolerant rootstocks.

A crossover example: Eremocitrus glauca × Citrus × limon ' Meyer ' = Eremolemon, the fruit is 1,5 - 2 cm in diameter, pale green with a very thin shell, highly aromatic. The juice sacs are spherical as in Microcitrus, not stretched.

Use

In the Australian Wüstenlimette is a wild form, which is only used for crossing experiments.