Citrus macroptera

Citrus macroptera, natively known as hatkhora or (Sylheti: ꠢꠣꠔꠇꠞꠣ, [ɦat̪xɔɾa]) cabuyao, Melanesian papeda, or wild orange, is a semi-wild species of citrus native to the Sylhet region (South Asia) of Bangladesh and the Barak Valley Division of the Indian state of Assam.

Some authorities consider C. macroptera to be a taxonomic synonym of C. hystrix (kaffir lime), while others consider C. macroptera var. annamensis to be a synonym of C. hystrix, but not C. macroptera var. macroptera.

Description

Citrus macroptera is so-named because of the large "wings" (-ptera) on the petiole, which is as large as the blade of the leaf. The tree, which has thorns, can reach 5 m (16 ft) in height. Its fruit is about 6–7 cm (2+1⁄2–3 in) in diameter, has a fairly smooth, moderately thick rind, and is yellow when ripe. The pulp of the fruit is greenish-yellow and dry (does not produce much juice). The juice is very bitter, and somewhat sour.

Varieties

The species is sometimes divided into four varieties, or alternatively into three separate species, as follows:

• C. macroptera var. macroptera
• C. macroptera var. annamensis Tanaka -> C. combara Raf.
• C. macroptera var. combara (Raf.) Tanaka -> C. combara Raf.
• C. macroptera var. kerrii Swingle -> C. kerrii (Swingle) Tanaka

Cultivation

Citrus macroptera is cultivated on a small scale in home gardens in the northeast Indian states of Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya, where its fruit is used for various purposes. A cultivar of C. macroptera var. annamensis is grown in the Sylhet Division of northeastern Bangladesh.

Citrus macroptera is also commercially cultivated in South Africa, Spain, and Tonga. In Spain the plant serves as a rootstock for other Citrus species.

Uses

Culinary uses

In Bangladesh, especially Sylhet, the thick fleshy rind of Citrus macroptera is eaten as a vegetable, while the pulp is usually discarded because of its bitter-sour taste. The thick rind is cut into small pieces and cooked (either green or ripe) in beef, mutton, and fish curries, it is also used in Dal. The rind is often sun-dried for later cooking and consumption. The fruit is also pickled.

Perfumery

The oil of the annamensis cultivar is used in the perfume industry.

See also

• Bangladeshi cuisine
• Beef Hatkora
• Citrus latipes a similar-looking species native to Northeast India

References

External links

• USDA PLANTS profile Archived 2013-05-11 at the Wayback Machine

1. Citrus
2. Papeda (citrus)
3. Wild orange
4. Citrus taxonomy
5. Kaffir lime
6. List of food origins
7. Cabuyao (disambiguation)
8. Sylheti language
9. Citrus indica
10. Kalpi (fruit)
11. List of Philippine city name etymologies
12. Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests
13. Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia
14. List of critically endangered plants
15. List of plants of Burkina Faso
16. List of flora of the Sonoran Desert Region by common name