Rutaceae
Citrus/Rue family
The citrus family, encompassing all commercially grown citrus fruits as well as curry leaf (Murraya), rue, and many tropical timber trees. Oil glands in leaves and fruits produce the characteristic citrus scent. Mostly trees and shrubs of tropical and warm-temperate regions.
Browse all 42 species ↓
Leaves dotted with translucent aromatic oil glands, visible when held to the light; radially symmetrical flowers sit on a raised nectar disc at the ovary's base, and in citrus the ovary ripens into a leathery-rinded fruit packed with juice-filled hairs.
Essential-oil glands run through leaf, flower, and fruit rind alike, giving the whole family its characteristic citrus or aromatic scent the moment any part is crushed.
Which Rutaceae species is this?
Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Rutaceae species.
How to recognise the Rutaceae family
- 01
Translucent oil glands in leaves
- 02
Disc prominent at base of ovary
- 03
Hesperidium (citrus) or drupe fruit
Typical leaf characters
Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.
Typical flower & fruit
- Flower symmetryActinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- InflorescenceCyme
- FruitBerry
Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.
Notable members
All 42 species in RUTACEAE
- Indian AspenAcronychia pedunculata
- Bael Tree, Holy Tree, Bengal Quince, Holy Fruit Tree, Indian Bael, Stone Apple, Wood AppleAegle marmelos
- Wild LimeAtalantia monophylla
- Bombay AtalantiaAtalantia racemosa
- Wild LimeAtalantia racemosa var. bourdillonii
- Curry LeafBergera koenigii
- White Sapota, Mexican AppleCasimiroa edulis
- East-Indian Satin Wood, Satin WoodChloroxylon swietenia
- Key Lime, Lime Tree, Bitter Orange, Bigarade, Country Lime, Mexican Lime, Seville Orange, Sour Lime, West Indian LimeCitrus aurantiifolia
- Pomello, Shaddock, Forbidden Fruit, Bamblimoos, BablossCitrus grandis
- Makrut LimeCitrus hystrix
- Lemon, Lime, Rough LemonCitrus limon
- PomeloCitrus maxima
- Citron, Wild LemonCitrus medica
- Black Currant Grape LimeClausena anisata
- Indian WampiClausena indica
- OrangeberryGlycosmis pentaphylla
- Wood Apple, Elephant Apple, Curd Fruit, Monkey FruitLimonia acidissima
- Pink-Flowered DoughwoodMelicope elleryana
- LimeberryMicromelum minutum
- Curry Leaf Tree, Curry BushMurraya koenigii
- Wild Curry Leaf Tree, Orange Jasmine, Honey Bush, Lakeview Jasmine, KaminiMurraya paniculata
- Elephant NettleNaringi crenulata
- Climbing AtalantiaParamignya monophylla
- Winged NaringiPleiospermium alatum
- Lemonia, Ravenia PinkRavenia spectabilis
- Herb Of Grace, Rue, Garden Rue, Common RueRuta chalepensis
- RueRuta graveolens
- Orange Climber, Forest Pepper, Lopez RootToddalia asiatica
- Orange Climber, Forest Pepper, Lopez RootToddalia asiatica var. floribunda
- Orange Climber, Forest Pepper, Lopez RootToddalia asiatica var. gracilis
- Nilgiri White IronwoodVepris bilocularis
- Thorny Yellow-WoodZanthoxylum ovalifolium
- Indian Prickly AshZanthoxylum rhetsa
- Atalantia wightii
- Citrofortunella mitis
- Euodia lunu-akenda
- Euodia lunu-ankenda var. tirunelvelica
- Limonia crenulata
- Luvunga sarmentosa
- Naringi alata
- Zanthoxylum tetraspermum
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