Lemon

Obtained from
Citrus limonia
Rutaceae
Indigenous to India
 Cultivation
 Raised from seeds
 When seedlings are 9 months old
planted they were planted 1mt apart
 6 months later they were grafted
with lemon
 After another 12 months later
planted 8mt apart
 They begin to bear when 5 – 7 yrs old
 Collection
 Collected in Jan , Aug , Nov before their
green color changes to yellow
 Wrapped in paper & exported in cases of
200 – 360 fruits
 Less sightly fruits packed in barrels &
preserved with salt water
 Smaller fruits used in preparation of oil of
lemon
 Peel removed with a sharp knife in the form
of spiral bands
Varieties
 Finest varieties are those from Sicily
( Messina )

 Description

 Ovoid shape
 Pale yellow in color
 Nearly smooth surface with disc like
nectary at base
 Pulp has agreeable & acidulous taste
 Consists of 8-10 carpels filled with
pulp
 Fresh lemon peel
 Cut when required
 Pericarp yellow with as little as
possible of the white pithy
zest
 Surface with numerous small
elevations over large oil glands
embedded in hypodermal tissue
 Fragrant odor
 Bitter taste
 Dried lemon peel
 Spiral bands
 Sometimes occur in quarters
 Surface marked by pits
 Outer surface yellowish brown &
rugose
 Inner surface whitish
 Brittle when dry & supple when moist
 Fragrant odor
 Bitter taste
 Juice
 Yields about 30% juice
 Turbid yellowish liquid
 For pharm. use pressed freshly
 Acrid taste & characteristic odor
 Pressed cake used as a cattle food
 Juice exported to England for citric
acid / calcium citrate
manufacturing
 Microscopy
 Small celled epidermis with stomata
 Parenchyma with calcium oxalate
crystals
 Crystalline masses of hesperidine
 Small V.B
 Large oil filled cavities
 Constituents
 Volatile oil
 Hesperidin
 Vitamin B & C
 Citric acid
 Amount of Citric acid in juice is
Largest in lemons imported in Dec
& Jan
Smallest in those in Aug
 Uses
 Peel & oil as flavoring agent &
used in perfumery
 Source of Citric acid
 Antiscorbutic
 Mfg .of Vit.C concentrates