Botanical Nomenclature of the Shaddock or Pomelo

Abstract

POMELO, shaddock, or as it is called in Bengal, batabi nernbu or jamboora, is usually known botanically by the name Citrus decumana Linn. Swingle adopted the name Citrus grandis Osbeck for this plant on grounds of priority¹. He, however, overlooked another earlier and validly published name of this lemon, which was later pointed out by Merrill², and which formed the basis for a new combination under Citrus. The name of pomelo is now satisfactorily settled under the rules as Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merrill. In a recent publication³, I found that the name Citrus grandis Osbeck is still used and perhaps considered as the correct name of this plant. It is not clearly known whether the author or those who were responsible for the nomenclature of the book took Merrill‘s name into account or whether this name was merely overlooked. The name Citrus maxima is not mentioned even in synonymy. If the name was considered and rejected in favour of Citrus grandis Osbeck, there must have been some reason for this. In any event, for the name of such a common Indian plant it is desirable that there should be no confusion, and it is with this object that the present note has been prepared. Before going any further let us consider the correct name, followed by various other names of this plant. The latter group of names are arranged chronologically. We have thus as follows :

Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merrill (l.c.). (i) Citrus aurantium Linn. var. grandis Linn. Sp. PI. 783 (1753). (ii) Aurantium maximum Burm. ex Rumph. Herb. Amb. Auct, Ind. Univ. [16] (1755). (iii) Citrus grandis Osbeck non Hassk. Dagbok Ostind Resa, 98 (1757)⁴. (iv) Citrus aurantium Linn. var. decumana Linn. Sp. PL ed. 2, 1101 (1763). (v) Citrus decumana Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 12, 2, 508 (1767).