Genus of the Week
Week of September 7-13
This page has been created for people who want to learn more about plants, especially in the
context of their taxonomy (Latin names, etc.). This is by no means an exhaustive list of
all available Web resources for a particular genus.
If you like this page, you should also visit the Land of the Glandular Trichomes
, a microscopic look at plants in the Lamiaceae family.
This week's genus:
Citrus
Subclass: Dicotyledoneae
Superorder: Rosidae
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Subfamily:Aurantioideae
Number of Species: Around 10
Root: From the plant bearing the fruit named "citron", as described by Theophrastus, the
Greek philosopher.
Plants in the genus Citrus can be highly important crop trees or prized ornamental trees
and shrubs. These plants yield fleshy berries with a leathery skin containing glands that
secrete essential oils. Common names for these fruits, which are rich in Vitamin C
(Ascorbic Acid), include lemon (C. limon), lime (C. aurantifolia), orange
(incl. C. sinensis) and grapefruit (C. paradisi).
Here are a few links to images and descriptions of different Citrus species:
- No web search of this genus would be complete without a stop at the
Sunkist Home Page. Go here to learn how citrus products are harvested and marketed.
- Visit the Florida Chemical Co., Inc.
to learn more about the commercial products that can be derived from citrus skins.
- Botanical.com has an amazing amount of information concerning the history and medicinal uses
of the following Citrus species:
- Florida State University has a photo gallery of micrographs, pictures of crystalline
substances viewed through a microscope. Here are some citrus-related images:
References:
- Genders, Roy. Edible Wild Plants: A Guide to Natural Foods. New York, van der Marck Editions: 1988.
- Heywood, V.H., ed. Flowering Plants of the World. New York, Oxford University Press: 1993.
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