Kingkit (Triphasia trifolia)

Kingkit (Triphasia trifolia) is a plant species in the Rutaceae family. It is a shrub or small tree that can reach a height of up to 3 meters, featuring trifoliate compound leaves—each 2–4 cm long and 1.5–2 cm wide—that are dark green and glossy. The flowers have three white petals, measuring 10–13 mm in length and 4 mm in width. The fruit is a red hesperidium, reaching up to 1.5 cm in diameter.

The fruit is edible and has a flavor reminiscent of citrus. It contains oils and is sometimes used for nail care. This species is frequently cultivated as a bonsai. The fruit is used medicinally to treat coughs, while the leaves are used as a remedy for stomach aches.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Subfamily: Aurantioideae
Genus: Triphasia Lour. in Fl. Cochinch.: 152 (1790)
Species: Triphasia trifolia (Burm.f.) P.Wilson in Torreya 9: 33 (1909)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Limonia trifolia Burm.f. in Fl. Indica: 103 (1768)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Limonia diacantha DC. in Prodr. 1: 536 (1824)
Limonia retusa D.Don in Prodr. Fl. Nepal.: 224 (1825)
Limonia trifoliata L. in Mant. Pl. 2: 237 (1771)
Triphasia aurantiola Lour. in Fl. Cochinch.: 153 (1790)
Triphasia diacantha M.Roem. in Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 1: 37 (1846)
Triphasia javanica M.Roem. in Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 1: 38 (1846)
Triphasia trifoliata (L.) DC. in Prodr. 1: 536 (1824)

PUBLICATIONS

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.

Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.

Balick, M. J., M. H. Nee & D.E. Atha (2000). Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 85: 1-246.

Berendsohn, W.G., Gruber, A.K., Rodríguez Delcid, D. & Olmedo Galán, P. (2016). Nova Silva Cuscatlantica. Parte 3: Angiospermae - Familias R a Z y Gymnospermae. Englera 29(3): 1-356.

Castle, G.E. (1994). Flore des Seychelles Dicotylédones: 1-663. Orstom Editions.

Chou, S., Chhnang, P. & Kim, Y. (2016). A Checklist for the Seed Plants of Cambodia: 1-272. National Institute of Biological Resources, Korea.

Evenhuis, N.L. & Eldredge, L.G. (eds.) (2012). Records of the Hawaii biological survey for 2011. Part II: plants. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 113: 1-102.

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2024). Flora of North America North of Mexico 13: 1-566. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.

George, A.S., Orchard, A.E. & Hewson, H.J. (eds.) (1993). Oceanic islands 2. Flora of Australia 50: 1-606. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Hancock, I.R. & Henderson, C.P. (1988). Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin Dodo Creek Research Station 7: 1-203.

Imada, C.T., Faccenda, K., Thomas, M.K., Gallaher, T., Oppenheimer, H., Kennedy, B. & Arthur, K. (eds.) (2025). Hawaiian Native & Naturalized Vascular Plants Checklist (2025 Update). Bishop Museum technical report 75: 1-480.

Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590. Smithsonian Institution.

Lê, T.C. (2003). Danh lục các loài thực vật Việt Nam 2: 1-1203. Hà Nội : Nhà xuất bản Nông nghiệp.

Mao, A.A. & Dash, S.S. (2020). Flowering Plants of India an Annotated Checklist (Dicotyledons) 1: 1-970. Botanical Survey of India.

Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Nurtjahya, E. & al. (2026). Flowering Plants of Bangka Island: Native and Introduced. Acta Botanica Hungarica 68: 127-156.

Pandey, R.P. & Dilwakar, P.G. (2008). An integrated check-list flora of Andaman and Nicobar islands, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 32: 403-500.

Pasha, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Sheppard, C.R.C. & Seaward, M.R.D. (eds.) (1999). Ecology of the Chagos archipelago: 1-350. Westbury Academic & Scientific Publishing, Otley.

Smith, A.C. (1985). Flora Vitiensis Nova. A new flora for Fiji (Spermatophytes only) 3: 1-758. Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai.

VERNACULAR NAME

Chinese (traditional): 錦橘果 - 锦橘果 - 香吉果
English: Kingkit, Lemondichina, Lime berry, Limeberry
Filipino: Kalamansito, Sua-sua
French: Citron-doux
Indonesian: Kingkit, Jeruk kingkit, Kelingkit
Java: Jeruk kingkit
Kannada: Aramaralu, Kadu kirinimbe
Khmer: ក្រូចចិន Kroch chen
Lithuanian: Uoginė trijuolė
Madura: Jeruk rante
Makassar: Lemo-lemo
Malaysia: Limau kiah, Limau kikir, Limau kingkit
Melayu: Limau kiah, Limau kunci
Slovak: Trifázia trojlístková
Spanish: Limoncillo
Sunda: Kalijage, Kingkip
Ternate: Lemo-lemo
Thai: มะนาวเทศ
Tidore: joji koyo
Vietnam: Kim quít

Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dlium