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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » National Germplasm Resources Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #423799
Research Project: Genetic Resources Acquisition, Conservation, International Exchange, and Taxonomic Expertise in Support of the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System

Location: National Germplasm Resources Laboratory

Title: (XXXX) Proposal to reject the name Citrus granulata (Rutaceae)

Author
item MABBERLEY, DAVID - University Of Oxford
item Schori, Melanie

Submitted to: Taxon
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2025
Publication Date: 6/10/2025
Citation: Mabberley, D.J., Schori, M. 2025. (XXXX) Proposal to reject the name Citrus granulata (Rutaceae). Taxon. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.13368.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.13368

Interpretive Summary: Citrus granulata was published in 1838, so it could be the first scientific name that applies to rough lemon. If it is the first, it would have to be used for this hybrid. However, there is no illustration or physical specimen, no one used this name after it was published, and the short description of the lemon could apply to other citrus, so its application is uncertain. To protect the scientific name for Tahiti lemon, which has been used and is the same hybrid as rough lemon, we are requesting that Citrus granulata be rejected so it cannot be used for rough lemon or any other commercial citrus.

Technical Abstract: Citrus granulata Raf. was published in 1838 with a short description that indicated a "granular" fruit. The description could apply to the hybrid between Citrus medica and C. reticulata, currently known as C. × otaitensis. However, there is no type material and the name was never taken up by other authors, whereas C. × otaitensis is used in the literature. We propose that C. granulata be rejected so that it does not threaten hybrid names in current use.