Lime

a small tree or shrub, a member of the orange tribe. The tree is low, much branched, and thorny. It thrives in a stonier, poorer soil than its relatives, the orange and the lemon, but it is damaged more readily by frost. It is a native of southeastern Asia, but has spread to all tropical countries. The American market is supplied by Florida and the West Indies. The lime is cultivated in orchards. It also grows wild, forming thorny thickets, after the manner of the plum. The fruit is smaller and more globular than the lemon. It is prized by the inhabitants of tropical countries for making cooling drinks, resembling lemonade. See Orange; Lemon