Citrus medica = lime

CITRON or LIME

useful in heart disorders

The Citron is a fragrant fruit with the botanical name Citrus medica L. which apply to both, the Swingle and Tanaka systems. It is a prominent member in the genus Citrus belonging to the Rutaceae or Rue family, sub-family Aurantoideae. Its different names Citrus Media, Median Apple etc. were influenced by the Theophrastus who considered it being native to Media, Persia or Assyria. However, those names are now rarely in use.

Citron is useful in heart disorders, abdominal colic, Gulm, vomiting, nausea, indigestion, heamorrhoids

The citron is not the ordinary citrus fruit like the Lemon or Orange. While the most popular citrus species are peeled off in order to consume the inner pulpy and juicy segments – the citron contains extreme dry pulp which has little value compared to the orange. Moreover, its main content is the thick white rind which is extremely adherent to the segments, and cannot peel off at all.

Thus, the Citron was from ancient through medieval times mainly used only for the fragrance of its outer peel or for derived medicine against seasickness, pulmonary troubles, intestinal ailments and other disorders. Citron juice with wine was considered an effective antidote to poison. The essential oil of the peel was regarded as an antibiotic.

The most important part of the citron is the peel which is a fairly important article in international trade. The fruits are halved, depulped, immersed in seawater or ordinary salt water to ferment for about 40 days, the brine being changed every 2 weeks; rinsed, put in denser brine in wooden barrels for storage and for export. After partial de-salting and boiling to soften the peel, it is candied in a strong sugar solution. The candied peel is sun-dried or put up in jars for future use. Candying is done mainly in England, France and the United States. The candied peel is widely employed in the food industry, especially as an ingredient in fruit cake, plum pudding, buns, sweet rolls and candy.

Today there is an uprising market for the citron is the United States for the soluble fiber which is found in its thick rind, also called albedo. The citron is also used by Jews for a religious ritual during the Feast of Tabernacles, by whom it is called Etrog.

The citron has many similar names in diverse languages, e.g. cederat, cedro, etc. Most confusing is the French language, in which the false friend "citron" refers to a lemon in English (similarly, "limon" is the French word for lime).

The citron has been cultivated since ancient times, predating cultivation of other citrus species. Despite its minor importance today being hardly consumed as is, it seems that in different times it played a big role in life. We could see that from the way how it was described by numerous writings and poets across centuries. It is suggested that when the other citrus species arrived, they pushed the citron off the road, since most of its benefits could nearly by found in the lemon, which is much easier to cultivate.

The following is from the writings of Theophrastus

"In the east and south there are special plants... i.e. in Media and Persia there are many types of fruit, between them there is a fruit called Median or Persian Apple. The tree has a leaf similar to and almost identical with that of the andrachn (Arbutus andrachne L.), but has thorns like those of the apios (the wild pear, Pyrus amygdaliformis Vill.) or the oxyacanthos (the fire thorn, Cotoneaster pyracantha Spach.), except that they are white, smooth, sharp and strong.

"The fruit is not eaten, but is very fragrant, as is also the leaf of the tree; and the fruit is put among clothes, it keeps them from being moth-eaten. It is also useful when one has drunk deadly poison, for when it is administered in wine; it upsets the stomach and brings up the poison. It is also useful to improve the breath, for if one boils the inner part of the fruit in a dish or squeezes it into the mouth in some other medium, it makes the breath more pleasant.

"The seed is removed from the fruit and sown in the spring in carefully tilled beds, and it is watered every fourth or fifth day. As soon the plant is strong it is transplanted, also in the spring, to a soft, well watered site, where the soil is not very fine, for it prefers such places.

"And it bears its fruit at all seasons, for when some have gathered, the flower of the others is on the tree and is ripening others. Of the flowers I have said those which have a sort of distaff [meaning the pistil] projecting from the middle are fertile, while those which do not have this are sterile. It is also sown, like date palms, in pots punctured with holes.

"This tree, as has been remarked, grows in Media and Persia."

Later with about 400 years it was also described by Pliny the Elder, who was calling it nata Assyria malus.

"The Assyrian fruit, which some call Median, is an antidote for poisons. Its leaf is like that of the andrachn (Arbutus andrachne L.), but with thorns running between. The fruit is notable for the fact that it is not eaten and has a strong odor, as also do the leaves, which impregnates clothes stored with them and keeps away harmful insects.

"The tree itself bears fruit continuously; some dropping off, others ripening, and still others budding.

"People have tried to introduce the tree into their land in clay vessels because of its medicinal efficacy, providing breathing for the roots by making holes in the vessels; …but except among Media and in Persia, it has refused to grow.

"This is the fruit whose pips we have related Parthian nobles boiled in foods in order to eliminate bad breath. No other tree is so highly praised in Media."

info : wikipedia