stylistic:tone
Plants known as "lime"

The difficulty in identifying exactly which species of fruit are called lime in different parts of the English-speaking world (and the same problem applies to synonyms in other European languages) is increased by the botanical complexity of the Citrus genus itself, to which the majority of limes belong. Species of this genus hybridise readily; only recently have genetic studies started to shed light on the structure of the genus. The majority of cultivated species are in reality hybrids, produced from the citron (Citrus medica), the mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata), the pomelo (Citrus maxima) and in particular with many lime varieties, the micrantha (Citrus hystrix var. micrantha).

Note that the tree species known in Britain as lime trees (Tilia sp.), called linden or basswood in other dialects of English, are broadleaf temperate plants unrelated to the citrus fruits.