About Microcitrus australasica (F.Muell.) Swingle
This species, also called Citrus australasica and commonly known as finger lime, grows as a shrub or small tree reaching around 10 m (33 ft) in height. Sharp spines up to 2.5 cm (1 in) long grow in the leaf axils. Its light green leaves are obovate or rhombic in shape, arranged alternately along twigs. Leaves are up to 2.5 cm (1 in) long and wide, though they may grow to 5 cm (2 in) long, and can have faint crenate (scalloped) edges toward their apex. Like many other members of the genus, the leaves hold many oil glands and give off an aroma when crushed. Flowers grow either alone or in pairs, attached to peduncles around 3 mm (0.12 in) long. The sepals are very small, at about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long, while the white petals can reach 9 mm (0.35 in) long. Each flower has between 20 and 25 stamens. The fruit is a botanical berry, cylindrical in shape, tapered at both ends, slightly curved, and roughly 8 cm (3.1 in) long. The fruit skin is rough, marked by numerous oil glands, and ranges in color from greenish yellow to pink. Fruits contain many pale seeds around 7 mm (0.28 in) long. Finger lime is native to the southeastern corner of Queensland and the northeastern corner of New South Wales, occurring from the area around Brisbane to the Clarence River. It grows in coastal rainforest and extends into adjacent open forest, most often on soils formed from basalt, and it benefits from habitat disturbance.
