Citrus medica L.

 
  • Family : RUTACEAE
    (Rue Or Citrus Family)
  • Family (Hindi name) : NIMBU FAMILY (नींबू फैमिली)
  • Family (as per The APG System IV) : Rutaceae
  • Species Name (as per The IPNI) : Citrus medica L.
  • Common name : Citron, Wild Lemon
  • Vernacular name :
    • Bara nimbu, Bijuara, Turani (Hindi)
    • Madalaphala (Kannada)
    • Kattu naarthai (Tamil)
    • Lungamu (Telugu)
    • Jambira, Limbu (Oria)
    • Karuna, Mahalunga (Sanskrit)
    • Bijora, Mahalungi, Mitha limbu (Marathi)
    • Ganapathi-naragam, Gilam, Kottanaranga, Madulungam (Malayalam)
  • Habit : Shrub or Tree
  • Habitat : Thickets along streams
  • Comments / notes : Cultivated for its edible fruits. Fruits are pickled and known to have good medicinal properties.
  • Key identification features : A small tree in thickets; Flowers pinkish white; Fruits globose, ovoid or oblong, usually mamillate at the apex.
  • Flower, Fruit : Throughout the year
  • Distribution :
    • Andhra Pradesh : Visakhapatnam district, Prakasam district
    • Karnataka : Common
    • Kerala : All districts of Kerala
    • Maharashtra : All districts of Maharashtra
    • Tamil Nadu : Kancheepuram (Changalpattu-CGP) district, The Nilgiri district, Villipuram district, Cuddalore district, Dharmapuri district, Tiruchirapalli district, Sirumalai Hills (Dindigul district)
    • Madhya Pradesh : Hoshangabad district
    • Uttarakhand : Uttarakhand
    • Sikkim : Sikkim
    • Himachal Pradesh : Kangra district, Kinnaur district
    • Arunachal Pradesh : Arunachal Pradesh
    • Meghalaya : Meghalaya
    • Assam : Assam
    • Nagaland : Nagaland
    • Delhi : Delhi
    • Uttar Pradesh : Uttar Pradesh
    • Punjab : Punjab
    • Jammu and Kashmir : Jammu and Kashmir
    • Mizoram : Mizoram
    • Andaman and Nicobar Islands : Andaman Islands
    • Manipur : Manipur
    • Tripura : Tripura
  • Native : Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal
  • Exotic/Native : Native
  • World Distribution : Tropics of the World
  • Conservation Status : Not Evaluated (NE)
  • Literature :
    • Pullaiah et al., 2002 - Flora of Eastern Ghats Vol. 1
    • H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam, 1994- Flora of Orissa Vol. 1
    • H. O. Saxena and M. Brahmam, 1989 - The Flora of Similipahar (Similipal), Orissa
    • Matthew, K.M., Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, Vol.3 (1). Diocesan Press, Madras. 1983
    • Sasidharan, N. 2011. Flowering plants of Kerala. DVD, V 2, KFRI
    • Henry, Kumari & Chithra (1983). Flora of Tamil Nadu, India vol. 1
    • N.P. Singh & S. Karthikeyan 2000. Flora of Maharastra vol 1. Botanical survey of India, Govt. India.
    • H J, Chowdhery, et al. Flora of Himachal Pradesh. Volume 1, Botanical Survey of India, 1984. Pg.: 141
    • K.Ravikumar, A.C.Tangavelou, & Navendu Page. (2021). Seed plants of Karnataka, India: A concise dictionary. FRLHT-TDU, National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Chennai.
    • Parkinson, C.E. 1923. A Forest Flora of the Andaman Islands, Govt. of India, Shimla
  • Read more :
  • Permalink : https://indiatrees-ces.iisc.ac.in/plants.php?name=Citrus medica
  • Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Deepak Kumar (2026). India Trees and Vegetation Types. Citrus medica. Downloaded on 3 October 2026.

Botanical Description

Herbarium Specimen(s)

Line Drawings

Field Image(s)

Distribution District wise

India Distribution

World Distribution

GBIF Distribution

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