Triphasia brassii facts for kids

Triphasia brassii is a rare species of Triphasia in the family Rutaceae, native to New Guinea.

All known specimens are from one general area. Triphasias are very close relatives of citrus.

Description

It is a very spiny evergreen shrub (rarely a small tree) growing to 2 m (6.5 ft) tall. The leaves are glossy dark green, each leaflet 2–4 cm (3/4 to 1 1/2 in) long and 1.5–2 cm (3/4 to 1 in) wide. The flowers are white and strongly scented. The kumquat-sized fruit is a red, edible hesperidium resembling a small Citrus fruit. The fruit is larger than the somewhat better known limeberry. The fruit flesh is pulpy, with a flavor reminiscent of a slightly sweet lime.

Cultivation and uses

Like its close relative the limeberry, T. brassii may have some unexplored potential as a fruit crop. Thus far, however, this potential has been limited due to the absence of domesticated variants, the lack of close scientific study, and the extreme rarity of the plant.

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