Studying Australian citrus

[Joel]

Hi everyone!

I'm a PhD student from Australia, planning to do a project comparing the nutritional and chemical composition of the native Australian citrus species (specifically in the fruit). My background is in analytical and food chemistry more so than botany/horticulture, although I have done some botany. At this stage, I am looking at where to get my samples from, so if there are any members from Australia who have some suggestions for where I could source different species from, I would appreciate your advice. Ideally, I would like to get them from plants in the wild or as close to their natural state as possible. If not, then cultivated plants would be my second option.

Also, if anyone has any particular unresolved questions about the morphology of one of the Australian species, feel free to drop me a line. I will hopefully be chasing down all of the 6 species in the wild and can hopefully add some knowledge about their morphology in addition to my main project on their chemical composition.

Cheers,
Joel

[pissp]

Speaking from afar, iNat is a great resource - they got at least a couple locations for all the aussie natives 

Love the research topic - did chem as well for grad (ochem) and been collecting the more unique flavor profile citrus to ultimately get MS profiles.

Be sure to drop any/all research you and your group put out!

[pagnr]

Hi Joel. Firstly where are you based in Australia ?
Agree iNat is a great suggestion.
Apart from that there is also fruiting season. You can find plants, but not always fruit, and maybe not every year ?
I would also familiarise yourself with the plants. They can be hard to see among the other native rainforest plants, sometimes until you see fallen or hanging fruit.

[Joel]

Jul 4, 2023 8:25:00 GMT -5 pagnr said:

Hi Joel. Firstly where are you based in Australia ?
Agree iNat is a great suggestion.
Apart from that there is also fruiting season. You can find plants, but not always fruit, and maybe not every year ?
I would also familiarise yourself with the plants. They can be hard to see among the other native rainforest plants, sometimes until you see fallen or hanging fruit.

I'm based in Brisbane, so in the right state for most of the native species! 

[fructose]

Youre living the dreamnoel.

Have you tried Inaturalist?
Also native plant facebook groups

[pagnr]

I'm based in Brisbane, so in the right state for most of the native species!

Well you have the home of Fingerlimes australasica at Mt Tamborine, and then the range of the Round Lime australis at Mt Nebo / Mt Glorious and further north.
You are going to need to go to FNQ and NT for the others.
You might find the Eremocitrus west of Brisbane.
Citrange, a member of this site has detailed some of his adventures looking for Australian citrus, including locations.
www.homecitrusgrowers.co.uk/AusNativeCitrus.html
You could also consider Citrus virgata, a historic australis X australasica hybrid.

[citrange]

Yes, I found all the Australian citrus species and all growing wild except C. garrawayi which was planted.
But by no means all had fruit - this was in September.
I think you should find Finger Lime/Round Lime/Desert Lime reasonably easily from Brisbane. Garrawayi, inodora and especially gracilis will be much more challenging.
Contact me privately if you want further details of locations of plants and people who may assist.
I'm still waiting for seeds of Citrus gracilis - I failed to find any, so let me know if you do!

[pagnr]

Wild Finger Limes are very variable re colour pigments, flavour and acidity.
Wild Round Limes have slightly noticeable variation, but not much.
Mt White Limes have both white pulped and pink pulped forms. I think there may be green pulped forms, from what I have heard.
Inodora has a ' sister species ' C.maideniana, which has slightly different shaped fruit, according to very early descriptions.
Always wondered if that could be re located ?
Don't think the inodora fruit vary much between trees.