Citrus maxima (Pummelo)

Native from Assam to mainland Southeast Asia, this spreading evergreen tree is cultivated throughout the tropics. Young twigs are often hairy, and the large oval leaves have conspicuously broad wings on their stalks. Fragrant, creamy white flowers occur singly or in clusters. The large fruits are rounded or pear-shaped, with a thick rind and spongy white pith surrounding pale yellow or pink flesh. Flavor and seediness vary among cultivars; the segments are commonly eaten fresh after their membranes are removed. Pummelo is an ancestral citrus species, and a cross with sweet orange gave rise to grapefruit. Photographed in northern Colombia.