Unlike the common orange ( Citrus sinensis ) or lemon ( Citrus limon ), which are hybrids of older species, Clymenia is believed to be a —or close to it. Native specifically to the islands of Palau, the Bismarck Archipelago, and parts of New Guinea, the Clymenia fruit is small, resembling a tangerine, but with a distinct neck or "nipple" at the apex.

If you have never heard of this fruit, you are in the vast majority. But for citrus botanists, Michelin-starred chefs, and fragrance perfumers, the Clymenia is the holy grail. This article dives deep into the origins, the explosive flavor profile, and the intriguing legend behind "The Nobleman Retort." To understand the "Nobleman Retort," we must first strip away the marketing mystique and look at the biology. The Clymenia genus is one of the least understood and most primitive members of the Rutaceae family (the citrus family).

Critically Endangered (in cultivation). Alternate names: Clymenia polyandra , "Noble's Reply," "The Insult Fruit." Warning: Do not consume if you are allergic to sapindaceae compounds. Have you encountered the Nobleman Retort? Or is it just a fairy tale for fruit fanatics? Share your thoughts below.

If you ever see a small, necked fruit with a scent that smells like a lime being devoured by a jasmine flower—do not bite it like an apple. Respect the retort. Bite the peel first, endure the sour, and wait for the noble reply.

However, the fruit known commercially as "The Nobleman Retort -Clymenia-" is not the wild variety. It is a specific, cultivated polyploid (a plant with more than two sets of chromosomes) selected for one purpose: Part 2: The Legend of the "Retort" Why "Retort"? The word has two meanings, both of which apply to this fruit.