Triphasia brassii | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Rutaceae |
Genus: | Triphasia |
Species: | T. brassii
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Binomial name | |
Triphasia brassii |
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.
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.[1][2][3]
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.