Rutaceae · Citrus

Galgal / Citron

Citrus medica

Also known as Wild Lemon

ShrubMedicinal
Habit
Shrub
Found in India
West Bengal, Gujarat, Meghalaya & more
Flowering
Throughout the year

Plant Details

Scientific name
Citrus medica
Genus
Citrus
Family
Rutaceae
Habit
Shrub
Habitat
Thickets along streams
Habitat type
Wetland, Scrub
Distribution
Tropics of the World
Found in India
West Bengal, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Sikkim, Telangana
Flowering & fruiting
Throughout the year
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Simple leaf type
Leaf type
SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.

Typical of the family

Arrangement
Alternate
Entire margin leaf character
Margin
Entire
Pinnate venation leaf character
Venation
Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Galgal itself; the rest are typical of the Rutaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Fruit type
Hesperidiumrecorded

Typical of the family

Inflorescence
Cyme
Fruit
Berry

Characters marked “recorded” are for Galgal itself; the rest are typical of the Rutaceae family — flowering plants only.

Local Names

Hindi
गलगल Galgal, पूरक Purak, तुरन्ज Turanj, Bijaura
Nepali
बिमिरो Bimiro, बिमिरो
Bengali
টাবা Taba, Begpura, টাবা
Tamil
கொம்மட்டிமாதுளை Kommatti-Matulai, கொடியெலுமிச்சை Koti-Y-Elumiccai, மாதுலங்கம் Matulankam
Telugu
ఆమ్లకేసర Amlakesara, మాదీఫలం Madiphalam, మాదీఫలం
Kannada
ಮಾದಲ, ಮಾದಳ Madala, ಮಹಾಫಲ Mahaphala
Malayalam
ഗണപതിനാരകം Ganapatinarakam, ഗണപതിനാരകം, Citron
Marathi
महाळुंग Mahalunga, मातुलुंग Matulunga, महाळुंग
Assamese
Jora tenga

About Galgal

A member of the Rutaceae family, Citron (Citrus medica) is a shrub. In India it has been recorded in West Bengal, Gujarat, Meghalaya and 8 other states. It grows in thickets along streams. It flowers and fruits through much of the year.

Uses

In practice it is grown for parts that are eaten, long used in traditional medicine and distilled for an aromatic oil. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice.

In culture

It is treated as sacred and appears in worship and turns up in ritual and festival use.

Illustration representing the Rutaceae family
Botanical family

Rutaceae

Citrus/Rue family

Galgal belongs to the Rutaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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