A lime is a citrous fruit fruit , which is round , lime fleeceable in colour , 1 - 3 in diam , and contains acidic juice vesicles . birdlime fruits make their way into numberless solid food and potable as a flavoring agent , and birdlime essential oils are used in the preparation of many household merchandise . The two commonly recognized lime tree mintage : Tahitian limes ( Citrus latifoila ) and Mexican limes ( Citrus aurantifolia ) .
Tahitian slaked lime are so - called because they primitively came to California via Tahiti , but they are thought to have grow in the Middle East — the reason they also are known as Persian linden . In nurseries , they ordinarily are found with the recording label “ Bearss ” limes , though “ Bearss ” is not agnize by botanists as a distinct cultivar . Mexican limes are also known as West Amerindic limes and Key limes , as a character reference to their first U.S. commercial-grade plantings in the Florida Keys .
The small , rotund lime fruits ordinarily seen in foodstuff stores and used extensively by barkeeper are from the Mexican variety of lime tree . The fruits are picked greenish when they are between 1 and 2 inches in diam , and they have a needlelike , more acid tang than Tahitian linden fruits . Tahitian lime fruits are the size and form of lemon fruits and usually are picked when yellow . They rarely are seen on grocery storehouse shelf because they are so easy confused with lemons , but they are processed into lime product , such as the filling for central basswood pie .
Limes are utilized as a flavoring for both raw and prepare applications and add an acid , flowered complexness to dishes . unremarkably juiced or zested and are used in marinade for Pisces , crustacean , and shellfish , blended into binding and vinaigrettes for salads , whisked into beurre blanc or butter sauce to top over vegetables and cooked meats , and squeeze as a cease element over Asian noodle dishes and ado - fries . The juice can also be meld into fruit drink , blended into sirup , or steep into alcohol such as rum .
Types of Limes
Key Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia)
Characteristics :
