Short answers, pulled from the story.
The scientific name of the Persian lime is Citrus × latifolia. This variety dominates global production today and is a nearly seedless hybrid derived from citron, mandarin, pomelo, and micrantha species.
Limes reached Micronesia and Polynesia through the Austronesian expansion between 3000 BCE and 1500 BCE. These fruits originated in tropical Southeast Asia and South Asia before spreading via trade routes to the Middle East and Mediterranean by at least 1200 BCE.
British sailors consumed citrus including limes to prevent scurvy on long voyages which gave rise to the nickname limey for naval personnel of that era. The consumption method remained a closely guarded military secret within the Royal Navy ranks while sailors relied on high citric acid content found in lime juice to maintain health.
India and Mexico led global output figures for limes combined with lemons during the reporting year of 2023. World production of these citrus varieties reached 23.6 million tonnes according to agricultural data collected that year.
Contact with lime peel or juice followed by exposure to ultraviolet light can cause phytophotodermatitis inflammation on skin due to furanocoumarins including bergapten limettin psoralen and xanthotoxin. Lime peel contains higher concentrations of these chemicals than the pulp making it more phototoxic overall when skin absorbs compounds then encounters sunlight.