In article .com,
"Dave Poole" writes:
| Donna Frazier wrote:
|
| So they're hybrids? Have they (the limes) been specifically
| cultivated to have no seeds? If so, why not do the same with
| lemons?
|
| There are two main types of limes which seem to predominate the
| market. The best for quantity of jiuce and size of fruit are those
| commonly known as 'Persian' or 'Tahiti' limes. They are old hybrids
| selected and grown widely over the past 100 - 150 years and have
| relatively thin rinds and moderately acid flavour.

If I have it right, they are also known as West African limes, and
the Americans know them as Mexican ones :-) God alone knows where
they originated! They are the usually the ones bought in the UK,
and the plant is definitely a tropical one - i.e. it needs fairly
constant warmth and high humidity.

| The second type which is widely grown on account of its stronger, more
| acid flavour is the 'Key lime', which does have seeds. The rind is
| thicker and the fruits are smaller but very freely produced. Even
| seeded limes have relatively few seeds, so I doubt if 'seedlessness'
| is a determining quality in the selection of a variety for growing
| commercially.

I haven't often seen these in the UK. I believe that 'Bearss' is a
seedless variety that dominate the USA, though I am not certain that
it is a Key lime. It certainly isn't the species that we are used
to in the UK.

| When I last made lime marmalade the Limes had a few seeds
|
| Strange. I've used about 20 limes over the past month or so
| and not one had a seed in it.
|
| Depending upon source and time of year, grocers and supermarkets will
| stock either type. Because of their stronger flavour and thicker
| rinds, .Key limes make a better marmelade and in my opinion, lime
| marmelade is the best.

As I said, I have very rarely bought any but the first-mentioned lime
in the UK, and the only seeded ones I have bought I am pretty sure
were of the same species. Also, my mother said that the ones in West
Africa usually had seeds.

What is their flavour like and how aromatic is their juice?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.