I really did not anticipate encountering a food I was not familiar with on trip to the Yucatán. But I did. Citrus limetta, is called by a variety of names around the world but referred to in Chiapas as “lima”. It is not a lime and it is not a lemon. The term “lima” might lead you to conclude that it is a lime, limes are referred to as “la lima” in most of the spanish speaking world. It Mexico, however, they are called “el lemón”. So get over it, it ain’t no lemon and it ain’t no lime. In most of the world this food is called “sweet lime” and it is generally used to make juice. Its taste is quite bland, very low in acidity, and it is probably best used to making juice.
The drawing to the right is from David Dietrich's Flora Universalis, published in 1831 by August Schmid in Jena, Germany.
Limas are high in vitamin C.
Limas must ripen on the tree and when ripe they have a high specific gravity - they feel heavier than you expect.