Lemon

The lemon (Citrus limon) is a species of small evergreen tree in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes, primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind (zest) are also used, mainly in cooking and baking. The fruit is a hesperidium, a complex fruit, featuring an exocarp (outer rind), mesocarp (fleshy segment), and endocarp (innermost part); in the case of lemons, the endocarp is made up of approximately eight to fourteen separate juicy segments. The lemon is a hybrid between the bitter orange (Citrus × aurantium) and citron (Citrus medica). In Hebrew, the word for lemon is לימון (pronounced "limon"). In French, it is called citron, while in Spanish, it is known as limón. In German, the word is Zitrone, and in Italian, it is limone. The lemon's high vitamin C content has led to its use as a dietary source of the nutrient for centuries. Additionally, lemon juice has been used for cleaning and preservation purposes, and its distinctive sour taste is a common flavor in foods and beverages worldwide.