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''Citrus'' is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
flowering A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...
trees and shrubs in the
rue ''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of ''Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for its bluis ...
family,
Rutaceae The Rutaceae is a family, commonly known as the rueRUTACEAE
in BoDD – Botanical Der ...
. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as
oranges An orange is a fruit of various citrus species in the family Rutaceae (see list of plants known as orange); it primarily refers to ''Citrus'' × ''sinensis'', which is also called sweet orange, to distinguish it from the related ''Citrus × ...
,
lemons The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culina ...
, grapefruits,
pomelo The pomelo ( ), ''Citrus maxima'', is the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and the principal ancestor of the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid, citrus fruit, native to Southeast Asia. Similar in taste to a sweet grapefr ...
s, and
limes Limes may refer to: * the plural form of lime (disambiguation) Lime commonly refers to: * Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit * Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide * Lime (color), a ...
. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to
South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...
,
East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The modern State (polity), states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ...
,
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...
,
Melanesia Melanesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It extends from Indonesia's New Guinea in the west to Fiji in the east, and includes the Arafura Sea. The region includes the four independent countries of Fiji, Va ...
, and Australia. Various citrus species have been used and domesticated by indigenous cultures in these areas since ancient times. From there its cultivation spread into
Micronesia Micronesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, consisting of about 2,000 small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It has a close shared cultural history with three other island regions: the Philippines to the west, Polynesia to the east, and ...
and
Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
by the
Austronesian expansion The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, Micronesia, coastal New Guinea, Island Melanesia, Polynesia, and Madagascar that speak Austron ...
(c. 3000–1500 BCE); and to the Middle East and the
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...
(c. 1200 BCE) via the
incense trade route The Incense Trade Route was an ancient network of major land and sea trading routes linking the Mediterranean world with eastern and southern sources of incense, spices and other luxury goods, stretching from Mediterranean ports across the Levan ...
, and onwards to Europe and the Americas.


History

Citrus plants are native to subtropical and tropical regions of Asia, Island Southeast Asia,
Near Oceania Near Oceania is the part of Oceania settled 35,000 years ago, comprising Australia, New Guinea, and north-western Island Melanesia: the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands. Prehistory The great nineteenth-century naturalist Alfred ...
, and northeastern Australia. Domestication of citrus species involved much hybridization and introgression, leaving much uncertainty about when and where domestication first happened. A genomic, phylogenic, and biogeographical analysis by Wu ''et al.'' (2018) has shown that the center of origin of the genus ''Citrus'' is likely the southeast foothills of the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...
, in a region stretching from eastern
Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
, northern
Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
, to western
Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...
. It diverged from a common ancestor with '' Poncirus trifoliata''. A change in climate conditions during the Late Miocene (11.63 to 5.33 mya) resulted in a sudden speciation event. The species resulting from this event include the
citron The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the original citrus fruits from which all other citrus types developed throu ...
s (''Citrus medica'') of South Asia; the
pomelo The pomelo ( ), ''Citrus maxima'', is the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and the principal ancestor of the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid, citrus fruit, native to Southeast Asia. Similar in taste to a sweet grapefr ...
s (''C. maxima'') of Mainland Southeast Asia; the
mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
s (''C. reticulata''),
kumquat Kumquats (; zh, 金桔), or cumquats in Australian English, are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae. Their taxonomy is disputed. They were previously classified as forming the now-historical genus ''For ...
s (''C. japonica''),
mangshanyegan The mangshanyegan (; ''Citrus mangshanensis'') is a wild citrus fruit species. The mangshanyegan is native to mountain forests in Mangshan, Hunan province, China, where it was first reported in the 1980s. It is genetically distinct from the m ...
(''C. mangshanensis''), and
ichang papeda ''Citrus cavaleriei'', the Ichang papeda (Chinese: 宜昌橙), is a slow-growing species of papeda that has characteristic lemon-scented foliage and flowers. It is native to southwestern and west-central China and is likely named for the city ...
s (''C. cavaleriei'') of southeastern China; the
kaffir lime ''Citrus hystrix'', called the kaffir lime or makrut lime, (, ) is a citrus fruit native to tropical Southeast Asia. Its fruit and leaves are used in Southeast Asian cuisine, and its essential oil is used in perfumery. Its rind and crushed leav ...
s (''C. hystrix'') of Island Southeast Asia; and the
biasong The micrantha is a wild citrus from the papeda group, native to southern Philippines, particularly islands of Cebu and Bohol. Two varieties are recognized: small-flowered papeda (''C. hystrix'' var. ''micrantha''), locally known as ''biason ...
and samuyao (''C. micrantha'') of the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. This was later followed by the spread of citrus species into
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
and Japan in the
Early Pliocene Early may refer to: History * The beginning or oldest part of a defined historical period, as opposed to middle or late periods, e.g.: ** Early Christianity ** Early modern Europe Places in the United States * Early, Iowa * Early, Texas * Early ...
(5.33 to 3.6 mya), resulting in the
tachibana orange The tachibana orange (''Citrus tachibana,'' or ''Citrus reticulata tachibana'') is a variety of mandarin orange, a citrus fruit. They grow wild in the forests of Japan and are referred to in the poetry of the early Japanese and Ryukyu Islands kin ...
(''C. tachibana''); and beyond the
Wallace Line The Wallace Line or Wallace's Line is a faunal boundary line drawn in 1859 by the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace and named by English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley that separates the biogeographical realms of Asia and Wallacea, a trans ...
into
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
and Australia during the Early Pleistocene (2.5 million to 800,000 years ago), where further speciation events occurred resulting in the
Australian lime Australian limes are species of the plant genus ''Citrus'' that are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea. These species were formerly included in the genera ''Microcitrus'' and ''Eremocitrus''. They have been used as a food source by indigeno ...
s. The earliest introductions of citrus species by human migrations was during the
Austronesian expansion The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, Micronesia, coastal New Guinea, Island Melanesia, Polynesia, and Madagascar that speak Austron ...
(c. 3000–1500 BCE), where ''
Citrus hystrix ''Citrus hystrix'', called the kaffir lime or makrut lime, (, ) is a citrus fruit native to tropical Southeast Asia. Its fruit and leaves are used in Southeast Asian cuisine, and its essential oil is used in perfumery. Its rind and crushed leav ...
'', '' Citrus macroptera'', and ''
Citrus maxima The pomelo ( ), ''Citrus maxima'', is the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and the principal ancestor of the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid, citrus fruit, native to Southeast Asia. Similar in taste to a sweet grapefru ...
'' were among the
canoe plants One of the major human migration events was the maritime settlement of the islands of the Indo-Pacific by the Austronesian peoples, believed to have started from at least 5,500 to 4,000 BP (3500 to 2000 BCE). These migrations were accompani ...
carried by Austronesian voyagers eastwards into
Micronesia Micronesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, consisting of about 2,000 small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It has a close shared cultural history with three other island regions: the Philippines to the west, Polynesia to the east, and ...
and
Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
. The citron (''
Citrus medica The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the original citrus fruits from which all other citrus types developed throu ...
'') was also introduced early into the Mediterranean basin from India and Southeast Asia. It was introduced via two ancient trade routes: an overland route through
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, the
Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is ...
and the Mediterranean islands; and a maritime route through the Arabian Peninsula and Ptolemaic Egypt into North Africa. Although the exact date of the original introduction is unknown due to the sparseness of archaeobotanical remains, the earliest evidence are seeds recovered from the
Hala Sultan Tekke Hala Sultan Tekke or the Mosque of Umm Haram ( el, Τεκές Χαλά Σουλτάνας ''Tekés Chalá Soultánas''; tr, Hala Sultan Tekkesi) is a mosque and tekke complex on the west bank of Larnaca Salt Lake, in Larnaca, Cyprus. Umm Haram ( ...
site of
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...
, dated to around 1200 BCE. Other archaeobotanical evidence include pollen from
Carthage Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the cla ...
dating back to the 4th century BCE; and carbonized seeds from Pompeii dated to around the 3rd to 2nd century BCE. The earliest complete description of the citron was first attested from
Theophrastus Theophrastus (; grc-gre, Θεόφραστος ; c. 371c. 287 BC), a Greek philosopher and the successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school. He was a native of Eresos in Lesbos.Gavin Hardy and Laurence Totelin, ''Ancient Botany'', Routle ...
, c. 310 BCE. The agronomists of classical Rome made many references to the cultivation of citrus fruits within the limits of their empire. Lemons, pomelos, and sour oranges are believed to have been introduced to the Mediterranean later by Arab traders at around the 10th century CE; and sweet oranges by the Genoese and
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
from Asia during the 15th to 16th century. Mandarins were not introduced until the 19th century. This group of species has reached great importance in some of the Mediterranean countries, and in the case of orange, mandarin, and lemon trees, they found here soil and climatic conditions which allow them to achieve a high level of fruit quality, even better than in the regions from where they came. Oranges were introduced to Florida by Spanish colonists. In cooler parts of Europe, citrus fruit was grown in
orangeries An orangery or orangerie was a room or a dedicated building on the grounds of fashionable residences of Northern Europe from the 17th to the 19th centuries where orange and other fruit trees were protected during the winter, as a very large ...
starting in the 17th century; many were as much status symbols as functional agricultural structures.


Etymology

The generic name originated from
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
, where it referred to either the plant now known as
citron The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the original citrus fruits from which all other citrus types developed throu ...
(''C. medica'') or a conifer tree (''
Thuja ''Thuja'' ( ) is a genus of coniferous tree or shrub in the Cupressaceae (cypress family). There are five species in the genus, two native to North America and three native to eastern Asia. The genus is monophyletic and sister to ''Thujopsis''. M ...
''). It is related to the
ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic p ...
word for
cedar Cedar may refer to: Trees and plants *''Cedrus'', common English name cedar, an Old-World genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae *Cedar (plant), a list of trees and plants known as cedar Places United States * Cedar, Arizona * ...
, κέδρος (''kédros''). This may be due to perceived similarities in the smell of citrus leaves and fruit with that of cedar. Collectively, ''Citrus'' fruits and plants are also known by the
Romance Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings * Romance languages, ...
loanword ''agrumes'' (literally "sour fruits").


Evolution

The large citrus fruit of today evolved originally from small, edible berries over millions of years. Citrus species began to diverge from a common ancestor about 15 million years ago, at about the same time that '' Severinia'' (such as the Chinese box orange) diverged from the same ancestor. About 7 million years ago, the ancestors of ''Citrus'' split into the main genus, ''Citrus'', and the genus ''Poncirus'' (such as the
trifoliate orange The trifoliate orange, ''Citrus trifoliata'' or ''Poncirus trifoliata'', is a member of the family Rutaceae. Whether the trifoliate oranges should be considered to belong to their own genus, ''Poncirus'', or be included in the genus ''Citrus'' is ...
), which is closely enough related that it can still be hybridized with all other citrus and used as rootstock. These estimates are made using genetic mapping of plant chloroplasts. A DNA study published in ''
Nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...
'' in 2018 concludes that the genus ''Citrus'' first evolved in the foothills of the
Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
s, in the area of
Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
(India), western
Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...
(China), and northern
Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
. The three ancestral (sometimes characterized as "original" or "fundamental") species in the genus ''Citrus'' associated with modern ''Citrus'' cultivars are the
mandarin orange The mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), also known as the mandarin or mandarine, is a small citrus tree fruit. Treated as a distinct species of orange, it is usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. Tangerines are a group of orange-colou ...
,
pomelo The pomelo ( ), ''Citrus maxima'', is the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and the principal ancestor of the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid, citrus fruit, native to Southeast Asia. Similar in taste to a sweet grapefr ...
, and
citron The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the original citrus fruits from which all other citrus types developed throu ...
. Almost all of the common commercially important citrus fruits (sweet oranges, lemons, grapefruit, limes, and so on) are hybrids involving these three species with each other, their main progenies, and other wild ''Citrus'' species within the last few thousand years.


Fossil record

A
fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
leaf from the
Pliocene The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58Valdarno The Valdarno is the valley of the river Arno, although this name does not apply to the entire river basin. Usage of the term generally excludes Casentino and the valleys formed by major tributaries. Some towns in the area: * Rignano sull'Arno * ...
(Italy) is described as †''Citrus meletensis''. In China, fossil leaf specimens of †''Citrus linczangensis'' have been collected from coal-bearing strata of the Bangmai Formation in the Bangmai village, about 10 km (6 miles) northwest of Lincang City, Yunnan. The Bangmai Formation contains abundant fossil plants and is considered to be of late
Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...
age. ''Citrus linczangensis'' and ''C. meletensis'' share some important characters, such as an intramarginal vein, an entire margin, and an articulated and distinctly winged petiole.


Taxonomy

The
taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...
and systematics of the genus are complex and the precise number of natural
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
is unclear, as many of the named species are hybrids clonally propagated through seeds (by apomixis), and genetic evidence indicates that even some wild, true-breeding species are of hybrid origin. Most cultivated ''Citrus'' spp. seem to be
natural Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...
or artificial hybrids of a small number of core ancestral species, including the citron, pomelo, mandarin, and papeda (see image). Natural and cultivated citrus hybrids include commercially important fruit such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and some
tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in color. Its scientific name varies. It has been treated as a separate species under the name ''Citrus tangerina'' or ''Citrus'' × ''tangerina'', or treated as a variety of ''Citrus retic ...
s. Apart from these core citrus species,
Australian lime Australian limes are species of the plant genus ''Citrus'' that are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea. These species were formerly included in the genera ''Microcitrus'' and ''Eremocitrus''. They have been used as a food source by indigeno ...
s and the recently discovered
mangshanyegan The mangshanyegan (; ''Citrus mangshanensis'') is a wild citrus fruit species. The mangshanyegan is native to mountain forests in Mangshan, Hunan province, China, where it was first reported in the 1980s. It is genetically distinct from the m ...
are grown.
Kumquat Kumquats (; zh, 金桔), or cumquats in Australian English, are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae. Their taxonomy is disputed. They were previously classified as forming the now-historical genus ''For ...
s and '' Clymenia'' spp. are now generally considered to belong within the genus ''Citrus''. Trifoliate orange, which is often used as commercial
rootstock A rootstock is part of a plant, often an underground part, from which new above-ground growth can be produced. It could also be described as a stem with a well developed root system, to which a bud from another plant is grafted. It can refer to a ...
, is an outgroup and may or may not be categorized as a citrus.
Phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...
analysis suggested the species of '' Oxanthera'' from New Caledonia, commonly known as false oranges, should be transferred to the genus ''Citrus''.Bayer, R. J., et al. (2009)
A molecular phylogeny of the orange subfamily (Rutaceae: Aurantioideae) using nine cpDNA sequences.
''American Journal of Botany'' 96(3), 668–85.
The transfer has been accepted.


Description


Tree

These plants are large shrubs or small to moderate-sized trees, reaching tall, with spiny shoots and alternately arranged
evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...
leaves with an entire margin. The
flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s are solitary or in small
corymb Corymb is a botanical term for an inflorescence with the flowers growing in such a fashion that the outermost are borne on longer pedicels than the inner, bringing all flowers up to a common level. A corymb has a flattish top with a superficial ...
s, each flower diameter, with five (rarely four) white petals and numerous stamens; they are often very strongly scented, due to the presence of essential oil glands.


Fruit

The fruit is a
hesperidium A hesperidium (plural hesperidia) is a modified berry with a tough, leathery rind. Etymology Carl Linnaeus gave the name Hesperideæ to an order containing the genus ''Citrus'', in allusion to the golden apples of the Hesperides. Development T ...
, a specialised berry, globose to elongated, long and diameter, with a leathery rind or "peel" called a
pericarp Fruit anatomy is the plant anatomy of the internal structure of fruit. Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Aggr ...
. The outermost layer of the pericarp is an "exocarp" called the
flavedo Fruit anatomy is the plant anatomy of the internal structure of fruit. Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Aggr ...
, commonly referred to as the
zest Zest may refer to: Common usage * Zest (ingredient), the outer peel of a citrus fruit ** Zester, a tool for preparing zest ** Twist (cocktail garnish), a piece of zest * Zest (positive psychology), a component of character Brands * Zest (brand ...
. The middle layer of the pericarp is the mesocarp, which in citrus fruits consists of the white, spongy "albedo", or "pith". The innermost layer of the pericarp is the endocarp. The space inside each segment is a locule filled with
juice vesicles The juice vesicles, also known as citrus kernels, (in aggregate, citrus pulp) of a citrus fruit are the membranous content of the fruit's endocarp. All fruits from the Citranae subtribe, subfamily Aurantioideae, and family Rutaceae have juice ves ...
, or "pulp". From the endocarp, string-like "hairs" extend into the locules, which provide nourishment to the fruit as it develops. Many citrus
cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
s have been developed to be seedless (see nucellar embryony and
parthenocarpy In botany and horticulture, parthenocarpy is the natural or artificially induced production of fruit without fertilisation of ovules, which makes the fruit seedless. Stenospermocarpy may also produce apparently seedless fruit, but the seeds are ...
) and easy to peel. Citrus fruits are notable for their fragrance, partly due to flavonoids and
limonoid Limonoids are phytochemicals of the triterpenoid class which are abundant in sweet or sour-scented citrus fruit and other plants of the families Cucurbitaceae, Rutaceae, and Meliaceae. Certain limonoids are antifeedants such as azadirachtin from ...
s (which in turn are
terpene Terpenes () are a class of natural products consisting of compounds with the formula (C5H8)n for n > 1. Comprising more than 30,000 compounds, these unsaturated hydrocarbons are produced predominantly by plants, particularly conifers. Terpenes ...
s) contained in the rind, and most are juice-laden. The juice contains a high quantity of
citric acid Citric acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula HOC(CO2H)(CH2CO2H)2. It is a colorless weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in citrus fruits. In biochemistry, it is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, which occurs in ...
and other organic acids giving them their characteristic sharp flavour. The genus is commercially important as many species are cultivated for their fruit, which is eaten fresh, pressed for juice, or preserved in
marmalade Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. The well-known version is made from bitter orange. It is also made from lemons, limes, grapefruits, mandarins, sweet oranges, bergamot ...
s and
pickles Pickles may refer to: Dogs * Pickles (dog) (died 1967), a dog that found the stolen World Cup trophy in 1966 * Pickles (pickleball), a dog often cited as the name origin for the sport of pickleball * Mr. Pickles, the titular demonic dog in ...
. They are also good sources of
vitamin C Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) ...
. The content of vitamin C in the fruit depends on the species, variety, and mode of cultivation. The flavonoids include various
flavanone The flavanones, a type of flavonoids, are various aromatic, colorless ketones derived from flavone that often occur in plants as glycosides. List of flavanones * Blumeatin * Butin * Eriodictyol * Hesperetin * Hesperidin * Homoeriodictyol * ...
s and
flavones Flavones (from Latin ''flavus'' "yellow") are a class of flavonoids based on the backbone of 2-phenylchromen-4-one (2-phenyl-1- benzopyran-4-one) (as shown in the first image of this article). Flavones are common in foods, mainly from spices, ...
.


Cultivation

Citrus trees hybridise very readily – depending on the pollen source, plants grown from a
Persian lime Persian lime (''Citrus'' × ''latifolia''), also known by other common names such as seedless lime, Bearss lime and Tahiti lime, is a citrus fruit species of hybrid origin, known only in cultivation. The Persian lime is a triploid cross betwee ...
's seeds can produce fruit similar to grapefruit. Thus, all commercial citrus cultivation uses trees produced by grafting the desired fruiting
cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
s onto
rootstocks A rootstock is part of a plant, often an underground part, from which new above-ground growth can be produced. It could also be described as a stem with a well developed root system, to which a bud from another plant is grafted. It can refer to a ...
selected for disease resistance and hardiness. The colour of citrus fruits only develops in climates with a ( diurnal) cool winter. In tropical regions with no winter at all, citrus fruits remain green until maturity, hence the tropical "green oranges". The Persian lime in particular is extremely sensitive to cool conditions, thus it is not usually exposed to cool enough conditions to develop a mature colour. If they are left in a cool place over winter, the fruits will change colour to yellow. The terms "ripe" and "mature" are usually used synonymously, but they mean different things. A mature fruit is one that has completed its growth phase.
Ripening Ripening is a process in fruits that causes them to become more palatable. In general, fruit becomes sweeter, less green, and softer as it ripens. Even though the acidity of fruit increases as it ripens, the higher acidity level does not make th ...
is the changes that occur within the fruit after it is mature to the beginning of decay. These changes usually involve starches converting to sugars, a decrease in acids, softening, and change in the fruit's colour. Citrus fruits are non climacteric and respiration slowly declines and the production and release of ethylene is gradual. The fruits do not go through a ripening process in the sense that they become "tree ripe". Some fruits, for example cherries, physically mature and then continue to ripen on the tree. Other fruits, such as pears, are picked when mature, but before they ripen, then continue to ripen off the tree. Citrus fruits pass from immaturity to maturity to overmaturity while still on the tree. Once they are separated from the tree, they do not increase in sweetness or continue to ripen. The only way change may happen after being picked is that they eventually start to decay. With oranges, colour cannot be used as an indicator of ripeness because sometimes the rinds turn orange long before the oranges are ready to eat. Tasting them is the only way to know whether they are ready to eat. Citrus trees are not generally frost hardy. Mandarin oranges (''C. reticulata'') tend to be the hardiest of the common ''Citrus'' species and can withstand short periods down to as cold as , but realistically temperatures not falling below are required for successful cultivation. Tangerines, tangors and
yuzu Yuzu (''Citrus junos'', from Japanese or ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of East Asian origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though recently also in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, and France. I ...
can be grown outside even in regions with more marked subfreezing temperatures in winter, although this may affect fruit quality. A few hardy hybrids can withstand temperatures well below freezing, but do not produce quality fruit. Lemons can be commercially grown in cooler-summer/moderate-winter, coastal Southern California, because sweetness is neither attained nor expected in retail lemon fruit. The related trifoliate orange (''C. trifoliata'') can survive below ; its fruit are astringent and inedible unless cooked, but a few better-tasting cultivars and hybrids have been developed (see
citrange The citrange (a portmanteau of ''citrus'' and ''orange'') is a citrus hybrid of the sweet orange and the trifoliate orange. The purpose of this cross was to attempt to create a cold hardy citrus tree (which is the nature of a trifoliate), with d ...
s). The trees thrive in a consistently sunny, humid environment with fertile soil and adequate rainfall or irrigation. Abandoned trees in valleys may suffer, yet survive, the dry summer of Central California's Inner Coast Ranges. At any age, citrus grows well enough with infrequent irrigation in partial shade, but the fruit crop is smaller. Being of tropical and subtropical origin, oranges, like all citrus, are broadleaved and evergreen. They do not drop leaves except when stressed. The stems of many varieties have large sharp
thorns Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to: Botany * Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants * ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species Comics and literature * Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Com ...
. The trees flower in the spring, and fruit is set shortly afterward. Fruit begins to ripen in fall or early winter, depending on cultivar, and develops increasing sweetness afterward. Some cultivars of tangerines ripen by winter. Some, such as the grapefruit, may take up to 18 months to ripen.


Production

According to the
UN Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
, world production of all citrus fruits in 2016 was , with about half of this production as oranges. At US $15.2 billion equivalent in 2018, citrus trade makes up nearly half of the world fruit trade, which was US $32.1 billion for the same year. According to the
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is an intergovernmental organization within the United Nations Secretariat that promotes the interests of developing countries in world trade. It was established in 1964 by the ...
(UNCTAD), citrus production grew during the early 21st century mainly by the increase in cultivation areas, improvements in transportation and packaging, rising incomes and consumer preference for healthy foods. In 2019–20, world production of oranges was estimated to be , led by Brazil, Mexico, the European Union, and China as the largest producers.


As ornamental plants

Citrus trees grown in tubs and wintered under cover were a feature of Renaissance gardens, once glass-making technology enabled sufficient expanses of clear glass to be produced. An
orangery An orangery or orangerie was a room or a dedicated building on the grounds of fashionable residences of Northern Europe from the 17th to the 19th centuries where orange and other fruit trees were protected during the winter, as a very lar ...
was a feature of royal and aristocratic residences through the 17th and 18th centuries. The ''Orangerie'' at the Palace of the Louvre, 1617, inspired imitations that were not eclipsed until the development of the modern greenhouse in the 1840s. In the United States, the earliest surviving orangery is at the Tayloe House, Mount Airy, Virginia. George Washington had an orangery at
Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on ...
. Some modern hobbyists still grow dwarf citrus in containers or greenhouses in areas where the weather is too cold to grow it outdoors. Consistent climate, sufficient sunlight, and proper watering are crucial if the trees are to thrive and produce fruit. Compared to many of the usual "green shrubs", citrus trees better tolerate poor container care. For cooler winter areas, limes and lemons should not be grown, since they are more sensitive to winter cold than other citrus fruits. Hybrids with kumquats (× ''
Citrofortunella Citrofortunella are a large group of commercial hybrids that cross the kumquat with other citrus. In the system of citrus taxonomy established by Swingle, kumquats were placed in a different genus, '' Fortunella'', from ''Citrus'', which included ...
'') have good cold resistance. A citrus tree in a container may have to be repotted every 5 years or so, since the roots may form a thick "root-ball" on the bottom of the pot.


Pests and diseases

Citrus plants are very liable to infestation by
aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...
s,
whitefly Whiteflies are Hemipterans that typically feed on the undersides of plant leaves. They comprise the family Aleyrodidae, the only family in the superfamily Aleyrodoidea. More than 1550 species have been described. Description and taxonomy The ...
, and scale insects (e.g. California red scale). Also rather important are the viral infections to which some of these ectoparasites serve as vectors such as the aphid-transmitted ''
Citrus tristeza virus Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is a viral species of the genus ''Closterovirus'' that causes the most economically damaging disease to its namesake plant genus, ''Citrus''. The disease has led to the death of millions of ''Citrus'' trees all ove ...
'', which when unchecked by proper methods of control is devastating to citrine plantations. The newest threat to citrus groves in the United States is the Asian citrus psyllid. The Asian citrus psyllid is an aphid-like insect that feeds on the leaves and stems of citrus trees and other citrus-like plants. The real danger lies in the fact that the psyllid can carry a deadly, bacterial tree disease called Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. Because the causative bacteria are not culturable, evaluation of resistant cultivars and vectors is slow. There are some HLB-resistant and vector-resistant citrus strains known, and genetic engineering and new chemical controls have been proven in laboratory use and show promise for field use. In August 2005, citrus greening disease was discovered in the south Florida region around Homestead and Florida City. The disease has since spread to every commercial citrus grove in Florida. In 2004–2005, USDA statistics reported the total Florida citrus production to be 169.1 million boxes of fruit. The estimate for all Florida citrus production in the 2015–2016 season is 94.2 million boxes, a 44.3% drop. Carolyn Slupsky, a professor of nutrition and
food science Food science is the basic science and applied science of food; its scope starts at overlap with agricultural science and nutritional science and leads through the scientific aspects of food safety and food processing, informing the development ...
at the
University of California, Davis The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The inst ...
has said that "we could lose all fresh citrus within 10 to 15 years". In June 2008, the psyllid was spotted dangerously close to California – right across the international border in
Tijuana Tijuana ( ,"Tijuana"
(US) and
< ...
, Mexico. Only a few months later, it was detected in San Diego and Imperial Counties, and has since spread to Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, sparking quarantines in those areas. The Asian citrus psyllid has also been intercepted coming into California in packages of fruit and plants, including citrus, ornamentals, herbs and bouquets of cut flowers, shipped from other states and countries. The foliage is also used as a food plant by the
larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...
e of Lepidoptera (
butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprise ...
and
moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...
) species such as the
Geometridae The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek ''geo'' γεω (derivative form of or "the earth"), and ''metro ...
common emerald The common emerald (''Hemithea aestivaria'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species is found throughout the Nearctic and Palearctic regions and the Near East. It is mostly commonly found in the southern half of the British Isles. It was ...
(''Hemithea aestivaria'') and
double-striped pug The double-striped pug (''Gymnoscelis rufifasciata'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is a widespread and common species, being found throughout the Palearctic region, including the Near East and North Africa. This is a variable specie ...
(''Gymnoscelis rufifasciata''), the
Arctiidae The Arctiinae (formerly called the family Arctiidae) are a large and diverse subfamily of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species.Scoble, MJ. (1995). ''The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and ...
giant leopard moth The giant leopard moth (''Hypercompe scribonia'') is a moth of the family Erebidae. They are distributed through North America from southern Ontario, and southern and eastern United States through New England, Mexico and south to Colombia. The ...
(''Hypercompe scribonia''), '' H. eridanus'', '' H. icasia'' and '' H. indecisa'', many species in the family Papilionidae (swallowtail butterflies), and the
black-lyre leafroller moth The black-lyre leafroller moth (''"Cnephasia" jactatana'') is a tortrix moth species of the family (biology), family Tortricidae. Distribution The black-lyre leafroller moth is endemic to New Zealand and is common throughout the country. Taxo ...
(''"Cnephasia" jactatana''), a
tortrix moth The Tortricidae are a family of moths, commonly known as tortrix moths or leafroller moths, in the order Lepidoptera. This large family has over 11,000 species described, and is the sole member of the superfamily Tortricoidea, although the genus ...
. Since 2000, the citrus leafminer (''Phyllocnistis citrella'') has been a pest in California, boring meandering patterns through leaves. In eastern Australia, the bronze-orange bug (''
Musgraveia sulciventris ''Musgraveia sulciventris'' is a large Pentatomidae, stink bug found in Australia, sometimes known as the bronze orange bug. It is considered a pest, particularly to plants in the Rutaceae, citrus group. Bronze orange bugs suck the sap from tree ...
'') can be a major pest of citrus trees, particularly grapefruit. In heavy infestations it can cause flower and fruit drop and general tree stress. European brown snails (''
Cornu aspersum ''Cornu aspersum'' (syn. ''Cryptomphalus aspersus''), known by the common name garden snail, is a species of land snail in the family Helicidae, which includes some of the most familiar land snails. Of all terrestrial molluscs, this species may ...
'') can be a problem in California, though laying female
Khaki Campbell The Campbell is a British breed of domestic duck. It was developed at Uley, in Gloucestershire, England, at the turn of the 20th century; being introduced to the public in 1898 and the Khaki variety in 1901. History Mrs Adele Campbell GRO ...
and other mallard-related ducks can be used for control.


Deficiency diseases

Citrus plants can also develop a deficiency condition called
chlorosis In botany, chlorosis is a condition in which leaves produce insufficient chlorophyll. As chlorophyll is responsible for the green color of leaves, chlorotic leaves are pale, yellow, or yellow-white. The affected plant has little or no ability to ...
, characterized by yellowing leavesOnline at SumoGardener highlighted by contrasting
leaf vein A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
s. The shriveling leaves eventually fall, and if the plant loses too many, it will slowly die. This condition is often caused by an excessively high pH (
alkaline soil Alkali, or Alkaline, soils are clay soils with high pH (greater than 8.5), a poor soil structure and a low infiltration capacity. Often they have a hard calcareous layer at 0.5 to 1 metre depth. Alkali soils owe their unfavorable physico ...
), which prevents the plant from absorbing iron,
magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...
,
zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...
, or other nutrients it needs to produce chlorophyll. This condition can be cured by adding an appropriate acidic fertilizer formulated for citrus, which can sometimes revive a plant to produce new leaves and even flower buds within a few weeks under optimum conditions. A soil which is too acidic can also cause problems; citrus prefers neutral soil (pH between 6 and 8). Citrus plants are also sensitive to excessive salt in the soil.
Soil testing Soil test may refer to one or more of a wide variety of soil analysis conducted for one of several possible reasons. Possibly the most widely conducted soil tests are those done to estimate the plant-available concentrations of plant nutrients, i ...
may be necessary to properly diagnose nutrient-deficiency diseases.


Uses


Culinary

Many citrus fruits, such as
orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...
s,
tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in color. Its scientific name varies. It has been treated as a separate species under the name ''Citrus tangerina'' or ''Citrus'' × ''tangerina'', or treated as a variety of ''Citrus retic ...
s, grapefruits, and
clementine A clementine (''Citrus × clementina'') is a tangor, a citrus fruit hybrid between a willowleaf mandarin orange ( ''C.'' × ''deliciosa'') and a sweet orange (''C. × sinensis''), named in honor of Clément Rodier, a French missionary who fir ...
s, are generally eaten fresh. They are typically peeled and can be easily split into segments. Grapefruit is more commonly halved and eaten out of the skin with a spoon. Special spoons (
grapefruit spoon A grapefruit spoon is a utensil usually similar in design to a teaspoon that tapers to a sharp edge or teeth, the intent of the front serration Serration is a saw-like appearance or a row of sharp or tooth-like projections. A serrated cu ...
s) with serrated tips are designed for this purpose. Orange and grapefruit juices are also popular breakfast beverages. More acidic citrus, such as lemons and limes, are generally not eaten on their own.
Meyer lemon ''Citrus'' × ''meyeri'', the Meyer lemon (), is a hybrid citrus fruit native to China. It is a cross between a citron and a mandarin/pomelo hybrid. Mature trees are around tall with dark green shiny leaves. The flowers are white with a purp ...
s can be eaten out of hand with the fragrant skin; they are both sweet and sour.
Lemonade Lemonade is a sweetened lemon-flavored beverage. There are varieties of lemonade found throughout the world. In North America and South Asia, cloudy still lemonade is the most common variety. There it is traditionally a homemade drink using ...
or
limeade Limeade is a lime-flavored drink sweetened with sugar. A typical method of preparation is to juice limes, and combine the juice with simple syrup or honey syrup, along with some additional water and perhaps more sugar or honey. Vodka or white ...
are popular beverages prepared by diluting the juices of these fruits and adding sugar. Lemons and limes are also used in cooked dishes, or sliced and used as garnishes. Their juice is used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes; it can commonly be found in salad dressings and squeezed over cooked fish, meat, or vegetables. A variety of flavours can be derived from different parts and treatments of citrus fruits. The rind and
oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...
of the fruit is generally bitter, especially when cooked, so is often combined with sugar. The
fruit pulp The juice vesicles, also known as citrus kernels, (in aggregate, citrus pulp) of a citrus fruit are the membranous content of the fruit's endocarp. All fruits from the Citranae subtribe, subfamily Aurantioideae, and family Rutaceae have juice ves ...
can vary from sweet to extremely sour.
Marmalade Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. The well-known version is made from bitter orange. It is also made from lemons, limes, grapefruits, mandarins, sweet oranges, bergamot ...
, a condiment derived from cooked orange and lemon, can be especially bitter, but is usually sweetened with sugar to cut the bitterness and produce a jam-like result. Lemon or lime is commonly used as a garnish for water, soft drinks, or cocktails. Citrus juices, rinds, or slices are used in a variety of mixed drinks. The colourful outer skin of some citrus fruits, known as
zest Zest may refer to: Common usage * Zest (ingredient), the outer peel of a citrus fruit ** Zester, a tool for preparing zest ** Twist (cocktail garnish), a piece of zest * Zest (positive psychology), a component of character Brands * Zest (brand ...
, is used as a flavouring in cooking; the white inner portion of the peel, the pith, is usually avoided due to its bitterness. The zest of a citrus fruit, typically lemon or an orange, can also be soaked in water in a
coffee filter A coffee filter is a filter used for brewing coffee. Filters made of paper (disposable), or cloth, plastic, and metal (reusable) are used. The filter allows the liquid coffee to flow through, but traps the coffee grounds. Paper filters remove o ...
, and drunk. File:NIH citrus.jpg, Wedges of pink grapefruit,
lime Lime commonly refers to: * Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit * Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide * Lime (color), a color between yellow and green Lime may also refer to: Botany ...
, and lemon, and a half orange (clockwise from top) File:Calamansi (sliced) - Philippines.jpg,
Calamansi Calamansi (''Citrus'' × ''microcarpa''), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is an economically important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines, Borneo, Sumatra, ...
, a ubiquitous part of traditional dipping sauces and condiments in
Philippine cuisine Filipino cuisine ( fil, lutong Pilipino/pagkaing Pilipino) is composed of the cuisines of more than a hundred distinct ethnolinguistic groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. A majority of mainstream Filipino dishes that compose Fi ...
File:Citrus aurantiifolia in Kadavoor.jpg, ''
Citrus aurantifolia The Key lime or acid lime (''Citrus'' × ''aurantiifolia'' or ''C. aurantifolia'') is a citrus hybrid ('' C. hystrix'' × '' C. medica'') native to tropical Southeast Asia. It has a spherical fruit, in diameter. The Key lime is usually picked ...
'' in
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
File:Pomeranzen.jpg, Ripe
bitter orange Bitter orange, Seville orange, bigarade orange, or marmalade orange is the citrus tree ''Citrus'' × ''aurantium'' and its fruit. It is native to Southeast Asia and has been spread by humans to many parts of the world. It is probably a cross be ...
s (''Citrus × aurantium'') from
Asprovalta Asprovalta ( el, Ασπροβάλτα, ''Asproválta,'' ) is a town in the regional unit of Thessaloniki in northern Greece. It was the seat of the Agios Georgios municipality. Since the implementation of the Kallikratis Plan in January 2011, ...


Phytochemicals and research

Some ''Citrus'' species contain significant amounts of the phytochemical class called
furanocoumarin The furanocoumarins, or furocoumarins, are a class of organic chemical compounds produced by a variety of plants. Most of the plant species found to contain furanocoumarins belong to a handful of plant families. The families Apiaceae and Rutacea ...
s, a diverse family of naturally occurring organic chemical compounds. In humans, some (not all) of these chemical compounds act as strong
photosensitizer Photosensitizers produce a physicochemical change in a neighboring molecule by either donating an electron to the substrate or by abstracting a hydrogen atom from the substrate. At the end of this process, the photosensitizer eventually returns t ...
s when applied topically to the skin, while other furanocoumarins interact with medications when taken orally. The latter is called the "grapefruit juice effect", a common name for a related group of grapefruit-drug interactions. Due to the photosensitizing effects of certain furanocoumarins, some ''Citrus'' species are known to cause
phytophotodermatitis Phytophotodermatitis, also known as berloque dermatitis or margarita photodermatitis, is a cutaneous phototoxic inflammatory reaction resulting from contact with a light-sensitizing botanical agent followed by exposure to ultraviolet light (from ...
, a potentially severe skin inflammation resulting from contact with a light-sensitizing botanical agent followed by exposure to
ultraviolet Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30  PHz) to 400 nm (750  THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation ...
light. In ''Citrus'' species, the primary photosensitizing agent appears to be
bergapten Bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen) is a naturally-occurring organic chemical compound produced by numerous plant species, especially from the carrot family Apiaceae and the citrus family Rutaceae. For example, bergapten has been extracted from 24  ...
, a linear furanocoumarin derived from
psoralen Psoralen (also called psoralene) is the parent compound in a family of naturally occurring organic compounds known as the linear furanocoumarins. It is structurally related to coumarin by the addition of a fused furan ring, and may be considered ...
. This claim has been confirmed for lime and bergamot. In particular,
bergamot essential oil Bergamot essential oil is a cold-pressed essential oil produced by cells inside the rind of a bergamot orange fruit. It is a common flavoring and top note in perfumes. The scent of bergamot essential oil is similar to a sweet light orange peel oi ...
has a higher concentration of bergapten (3000–3600 mg/kg) than any other ''Citrus''-based essential oil. In general, three ''Citrus'' ancestral species (pomelos, citrons, and papedas) synthesize relatively high quantities of furanocoumarins, whereas a fourth ancestral species (mandarins) is practically devoid of these compounds. Since the production of furanocoumarins in plants is believed to be heritable, the descendants of mandarins (such as sweet oranges, tangerines, and other small mandarin hybrids) are expected to have low quantities of furanocoumarins, whereas other hybrids (such as limes, grapefruit, and sour oranges) are expected to have relatively high quantities of these compounds. In most ''Citrus'' species, the peel contains a greater diversity and a higher concentration of furanocoumarins than the pulp of the same fruit. An exception is
bergamottin Bergamottin (5-geranoxypsoralen) is a natural furanocoumarin found in the pulp of pomelos and grapefruits. It is also found in the peel and pulp of the bergamot orange, from which it was first isolated and from which its name is derived. Chemis ...
, a furanocoumarin implicated in grapefruit-drug interactions, which is more concentrated in the pulp of certain varieties of pomelo, grapefruit, and sour orange. One review of preliminary research on diets indicated that consuming citrus fruits was associated with a 10% reduction of risk for developing breast cancer.


List of citrus fruits

The genus ''Citrus'' has been suggested to originate in the eastern Himalayan foothills. Prior to human cultivation, it consisted of just a few species, though the status of some as distinct species has yet to be confirmed: * '' Citrus assamensis'' – ginger lime, from
Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
and Bangladesh * '' Citrus crenatifolia'' – species name is unresolved, from Sri Lanka * ''
Citrus japonica Kumquats (; zh, 金桔), or cumquats in Australian English, are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae. Their taxonomy is disputed. They were previously classified as forming the now-historical genus ''Fortun ...
'' – kumquats, from East Asia ranging into Southeast Asia (sometimes separated into four-five ''Fortunella'' species) * '' Citrus mangshanensis'' – species name is unresolved, from
Hunan Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi ...
, China * ''
Citrus maxima The pomelo ( ), ''Citrus maxima'', is the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and the principal ancestor of the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid, citrus fruit, native to Southeast Asia. Similar in taste to a sweet grapefru ...
'' – pomelo (pummelo, shaddock), from the Island Southeast Asia * ''
Citrus medica The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the original citrus fruits from which all other citrus types developed throu ...
'' – citron, from India * '' Citrus platymamma'' – ''byeonggyul'', from Jeju Island,
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
* ''
Citrus reticulata The mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), also known as the mandarin or mandarine, is a small citrus tree fruit. Treated as a distinct species of orange, it is usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. Tangerines are a group of orange-coloured ...
'' – mandarin orange, from China * ''
Citrus trifoliata The trifoliate orange, ''Citrus trifoliata'' or ''Poncirus trifoliata'', is a member of the family Rutaceae. Whether the trifoliate oranges should be considered to belong to their own genus, ''Poncirus'', or be included in the genus ''Citrus'' is ...
'' – trifoliate orange, from Korea and adjacent China (often separated as ''Poncirus'') *
Australian lime Australian limes are species of the plant genus ''Citrus'' that are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea. These species were formerly included in the genera ''Microcitrus'' and ''Eremocitrus''. They have been used as a food source by indigeno ...
s **''
Citrus australasica ''Citrus australasica'', the Australian finger lime or caviar lime, is a thorny understorey shrub or small tree of lowland subtropical rainforest and rainforest in the coastal border region of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. It has e ...
'' –
Australian finger lime ''Citrus australasica'', the Australian finger lime or caviar lime, is a thorny understorey shrub or small tree of lowland subtropical rainforest and rainforest in the coastal border region of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. It has ed ...
** ''
Citrus australis ''Citrus australis'', the Dooja, round lime, Australian lime or Australian round lime, is a large shrub or small tree producing an edible fruit. It grows in forest margins in the Beenleigh area and northwards, in Queensland, Australia ...
'' – Australian round lime ** ''
Citrus garrawayi ''Citrus garrawayi'', the Mount White lime, is a tree native to the Cape York region of northern Queensland in Australia. It is an understory tree in tropical rainforests Tropical rainforests are rainforests that occur in areas of t ...
'' –
Mount White lime ''Citrus garrawayi'', the Mount White lime, is a tree native to the Cape York Peninsula, Cape York region of northern Queensland in Australia. It is an understory tree in tropical rainforests. ''Citrus garrawayi'' is a shrub or small tree up t ...
** '' Citrus glauca'' – Australian desert lime ** '' Citrus gracilis'' – Kakadu lime or Humpty Doo lime ** ''
Citrus inodora ''Citrus inodora'' or ''Microcitrus inodora'', commonly known as Russell River lime or large leaf Australian wild lime, is a tree native to the Bellenden-Ker Range in northern Queensland, Australia. It grows in lowland tropical rainforest ...
'' – Russel River lime and Maiden's Australian lime ** ''
Citrus warburgiana ''Citrus warburgiana''. the kakamadu or New Guinea wild lime, grows on the south coast of the Papuan Peninsula near Alotau in Papua-New Guinea. It is a poorly known tree species. It has dark green, spherical fruits about in diameter. It is tax ...
'' –
New Guinea wild lime ''Citrus warburgiana''. the kakamadu or New Guinea wild lime, grows on the south coast of the Papuan Peninsula near Alotau in Papua-New Guinea. It is a poorly known tree species. It has dark green, spherical fruits about in diameter. It is t ...
** '' Citrus wintersii '' – Brown River finger lime * Papedas, including **'' Citrus halimii'' – ''limau kadangsa'', ''limau kedut kera'', from
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
and Malaya ** ''
Citrus hystrix ''Citrus hystrix'', called the kaffir lime or makrut lime, (, ) is a citrus fruit native to tropical Southeast Asia. Its fruit and leaves are used in Southeast Asian cuisine, and its essential oil is used in perfumery. Its rind and crushed leav ...
'' –
Kaffir lime ''Citrus hystrix'', called the kaffir lime or makrut lime, (, ) is a citrus fruit native to tropical Southeast Asia. Its fruit and leaves are used in Southeast Asian cuisine, and its essential oil is used in perfumery. Its rind and crushed leav ...
, ''makrut'', from Mainland Southeast Asia to Island Southeast Asia ** ''
Citrus cavaleriei ''Citrus cavaleriei'', the Ichang papeda (Chinese: 宜昌橙), is a slow-growing species of papeda that has characteristic lemon-scented foliage and flowers. It is native to southwestern and west-central China and is likely named for the city ...
'' – Ichang papeda from southern China ** ''
Citrus celebica Celebes papeda, is a citrus that grows in the northeastern Celebes and the southern Philippines. Under some taxonomic systems it is named ''Citrus celebica'', else is a regional variant of ''Citrus hystrix ''Citrus hystrix'', called the kaff ...
'' – Celebes papeda ** ''
Citrus indica ''Citrus indica'' is a species of hybrid ''Citrus'' known by the common name Indian wild orange.Malik, S. K., R. Chaudhury, O. P. Dhariwal and R. K. Kalia. (2006)Collection and characterization of ''Citrus indica'' Tanaka and ''C. macroptera'' Mon ...
'' –
Indian wild orange ''Citrus indica'' is a species of hybrid ''Citrus'' known by the common name Indian wild orange.Malik, S. K., R. Chaudhury, O. P. Dhariwal and R. K. Kalia. (2006)Collection and characterization of ''Citrus indica'' Tanaka and ''C. macroptera'' Mon ...
, from the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
** ''
Citrus latipes ''Citrus latipes'', commonly called "Khasi papeda", is sometimes mistakenly identified as Kaffir lime ('' C. hystrix''). Native to Northeast India, the khasi papeda is a small, thorny tree that closely resembles both kaffir limes and ichang pap ...
'' – Khasi papeda, from
Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
, Meghalaya, Burma ** ''
Citrus longispina ''Citrus longispina'' (winged lime, blacktwig lime, or megacarpa papeda) is an unusual sweet lime-like citrus that has been classed as a papeda. It is called ''Tai la mi san'' in Chinese, ''Taramisan'' in Japanese and ''Tanisan'' or ''Talamisa ...
'' – Megacarpa papeda, winged lime, blacktwig lime ** ''
Citrus macrophylla ''Citrus macrophylla'', also known as alemow, is a citrus tree and fruit, belonging to the papedas. The trees are short in stature, more tropical in nature than most citrus, and are very spiny. Taxonomy Alemow is rare and poorly studied, a l ...
'' – Alemow ** '' Citrus macroptera'' – Melanesian papeda from Indochina to Melanesia ** '' Citrus micrantha, Citrus westeri'' – ''biasong'' or ''samuyao'' from the southern Philippines ** '' Citrus webberi'' – Kalpi, Malayan lemon


Hybrids and cultivars

Sorted by parentage. As each hybrid is the product of (at least) two parent species, they are listed multiple times. ''Citrus maxima''-based *
Amanatsu or is a yellowish orange citrus hybrid fruit, a group of cultivars of ''Citrus natsudaidai'', which were discovered in 1740 in the Yamaguchi prefecture of Japan. Names ''Amanatsu'' means "sweet summer" in Japanese. In Japan, the fruit is kn ...
, natsumikan – ''Citrus'' ×''natsudaidai'' (''C. maxima'' × unknown) *
Cam sành The ' () or King orange (''Citrus reticulata'' × ''sinensis'') is a citrus hybrid originating in Vietnam. ' is Vietnamese for "terracotta orange", although the fruit is more akin to a mandarin or tangerine. The fruit may be easily recognized ...
– (''C. reticulata'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') *
Dangyuja Dangyuja ( ko, 당유자 ) is a Korean citrus fruit that is a specialty of Jeju Island. In Jeju language, it is called daengyuji ( ). Dangyuja has a similar shape and flavour to yuzu, but is genealogically a variety of pomelo. Dangyuja has b ...
– (''Citrus grandis Osbeck'') * Grapefruit – ''Citrus'' ×''paradisi'' (''C. maxima'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') * Haruka – ''Citrus tamurana'' x ''natsudaidai'' * Hassaku orange – (''Citrus hassaku'') *
Ichang lemon The ''shangjuan'', or Ichang lemon (''Citrus cavaleriei × C. maxima''), is a cold-hardy citrus fruit and plant originating in East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture ...
– (''Citrus wilsonii'') * Imperial lemon – (''C.'' ×''limon'' × ''C.'' ×''paradisi'') *
Kawachi Bankan Kawachi Bankan (''Citrus kawachiensis''), also called Mishokan and Uwa Gold, is a ''Citrus'' hybrid cultivated for its edible fruit. Genetics Two varieties of Kawachi Bankan have been identified: one, a hybrid between the ujukitsu (seed paren ...
– (''Citrus kawachiensis'') *
Kinnow The Kinnow is a high yield mandarin hybrid cultivated extensively in the wider Punjab region of India and Pakistan. It is a hybrid of two citrus cultivars — 'King' (''Citrus nobilis'') × 'Willow Leaf' (''Citrus × deliciosa'') — first dev ...
– (''C.'' ×''nobilis'' × ''C.'' ×''deliciosa'') *
Kiyomi (''Citrus unshiu'' × '' sinensis'') is a Japanese citrus fruit that is a hybrid of a ''Miyagawa Wase'' mikan and an orange. The new breed was the first tangor created in Japan in 1949. It was named Kiyomi after the temple and the lagoon nea ...
– (''C.'' ×''sinensis'' × ''C.'' ×''unshiu'') * Minneola tangelo – (''C. reticulata'' × ''C.'' ×''paradisi'') * Orangelo, Chironja – (''C.'' ×''paradisi'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') * Oroblanco, Sweetie – (''C. maxima'' × ''C.'' ×''paradisi'') *
Sweet orange An orange is a fruit of various citrus species in the family Rutaceae (see list of plants known as orange); it primarily refers to ''Citrus'' × ''sinensis'', which is also called sweet orange, to distinguish it from the related ''Citrus × ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''sinensis'' (probably ''C. maxima'' × ''C. reticulata'') *
Tangelo The tangelo ( , ; ''C. reticulata × C. maxima'' or ''× C. paradisi''), ''Citrus × tangelo, is'' a citrus fruit hybrid of a ''Citrus reticulata'' variety, such as mandarin orange or tangerine, and a ''Citrus maxima'' variety, such as a pomel ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''tangelo'' (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. maxima'' or ''C.'' ×''paradisi'') *
Tangor The tangor (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. sinensis'') is a citrus fruit hybrid of the mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata'') and the sweet orange (''Citrus sinensis''). The name "tangor" is a formation from the "tang" of tangerine and the "or" of ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''nobilis'' (''C. reticulata'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') *
Ugli The Jamaican tangelo, also known by proprietary names ugli fruit, uglifruit, and uniq fruit, is a citrus fruit that arose on the island of Jamaica through the natural hybridization of a tangerine or orange with a grapefruit (or pomelo), and is t ...
– (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. maxima'' or ''C.'' ×''paradisi'') ''Citrus medica''-based * Alemow, Colo – ''Citrus'' ×''macrophylla'' (''C. medica'' × ''C. micrantha'') * Buddha's hand – ''Citrus medica'' var. ''sarcodactylus'', a fingered citron. *
Citron The citron (''Citrus medica''), historically cedrate, is a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind. It is said to resemble a 'huge, rough lemon'. It is one of the original citrus fruits from which all other citrus types developed throu ...
varieties with sour
pulp Pulp may refer to: * Pulp (fruit), the inner flesh of fruit Engineering * Dissolving pulp, highly purified cellulose used in fibre and film manufacture * Pulp (paper), the fibrous material used to make paper * Molded pulp, a packaging material ...
Diamante citron The Diamante citron (''Citrus medica'' var. ''vulgaris'' or cv. ''diamante'' − it, cedro di diamante, he, אתרוג קלבריה or גינובה) is a variety of citron named after the town of Diamante, located in the province of Cosenza, C ...
,
Florentine citron The Florentine citron – citron hybrid of Florence ( it, cedrato di Firenze) – is a very fragrant citrus fruit, which is named after its most known origin of cultivation. Its scientific name is ''Citrus × limonimedica'' 'Florentina' Lush. ...
,
Greek citron The Greek citron variety of '' Citrus medica'' ( el, κιτριά, he, אתרוג קורפו or יְוָנִי) was botanically classified by Adolf Engler as the ''"variety etrog"''. This is remarking on its major use for the Jewish ritual e ...
and Balady citron * Citron varieties with sweet pulp – Corsican citron and Moroccan citron. *
Etrog Etrog ( he, אֶתְרוֹג, plural: '; Ashkenazi Hebrew: ', plural: ') is the yellow citron or ''Citrus medica'' used by Jews during the week-long holiday of Sukkot as one of the four species. Together with the ''lulav'', ''hadass'', and '' a ...
, a group of citron cultivars that are traditionally used for a Jewish ritual. ''Etrog'' is
Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
for citron in general. * Fernandina – ''Citrus'' ×''limonimedica'' (probably (''C. medica'' × ''C. maxima'') × ''C. medica'') *
Ponderosa lemon The ponderosa lemon (''Citrus'' × ''pyriformis'') (also called Skierniewice lemonKonarska, A., and E. Weryszko-Chmielewska. "Micromorphology, anatomy and ultrastructure of nectaries in two types of flowers of Citrus limon cv.‘Ponderosa’." Ac ...
– (probably (''C. medica'' × ''C. maxima'') × ''C. medica'') *
Lemon The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...
– ''Citrus '' ×''limon'' (''C. medica'' × ''C.'' ×''aurantium'') *
Key lime The Key lime or acid lime (''Citrus'' × ''aurantiifolia'' or ''C. aurantifolia'') is a citrus hybrid ('' C. hystrix'' × '' C. medica'') native to tropical Southeast Asia. It has a spherical fruit, in diameter. The Key lime is usually picked ...
, Mexican lime, Omani lime – ''Citrus'' ×''aurantiifolia'' (''C. medica'' × ''C. micrantha'') *
Persian lime Persian lime (''Citrus'' × ''latifolia''), also known by other common names such as seedless lime, Bearss lime and Tahiti lime, is a citrus fruit species of hybrid origin, known only in cultivation. The Persian lime is a triploid cross betwee ...
, Tahiti lime – ''C.'' ×''latifolia'' (''C.'' ×''aurantiifolia'' × ''C.'' ×''limon'') * Limetta, Sweet Lemon, Sweet Lime, mosambi – ''Citrus'' ×''limetta'' (''C. medica'' × ''C.'' ×''aurantium'') * Lumia – several distinct pear shaped lemon-like hybrids *
Pompia Pompia (''Citrus medica tuberosa''), also called pumpia, sa pompia, spompia, and China citron, is a ''Citrus'' hybrid cultivated for its edible fruit. Distribution Pompia originated and is found only in Sardinia, especially the eastern half, ...
– ''Citrus medica tuberosa'' Risso & Poiteau, 1818 (''C. medica'' × ''C.'' ×''aurantium''), native to
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
, genetically synonymous with Rhobs el Arsa. *
Rhobs el Arsa Rhobs al-Arsa (''Citrus limon'' (L.) Burm. f.) is a very popular citrus fruit in Morocco. Names Rhobs al-Arsa is Arabic for bread of the garden, or ''"Garden Loaf"''. This citrus hybrid has many other names, such as Al-zanbu, Khoubs al-Arsa, Ko ...
– 'bread of the garden', ''C. medica'' × ''C.'' ×''aurantium'', from
Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
. *
Yemenite citron The Yemenite citron ( he, אֶתְרוֹג תֵּימָנִי, ''etrog teimani'') is a variety of citron, usually containing no juice vesicles in its fruit's segments. The bearing tree and the mature fruit's size are somewhat larger than the tree ...
– a pulpless true citron. ''Citrus reticulata''–based *
Bergamot orange ''Citrus bergamia'', the bergamot orange (pronounced ), is a fragrant citrus fruit the size of an orange, with a yellow or green color similar to a lime, depending on ripeness. Genetic research into the ancestral origins of extant citrus cult ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''bergamia'' (''C.'' ×''limon'' × ''C.'' ×''aurantium'') *
Bitter orange Bitter orange, Seville orange, bigarade orange, or marmalade orange is the citrus tree ''Citrus'' × ''aurantium'' and its fruit. It is native to Southeast Asia and has been spread by humans to many parts of the world. It is probably a cross be ...
, Seville Orange – ''Citrus'' ×''aurantium'' (''C. maxima'' × ''C. reticulata'') *
Blood orange The blood orange is a variety of orange ( ''Citrus'' × ''sinensis'') (also referred to as raspberry orange) with crimson, almost blood-colored flesh. The distinctive dark flesh color is due to the presence of anthocyanins, a family of polyp ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''sinensis''
cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
s *
Calamansi Calamansi (''Citrus'' × ''microcarpa''), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is an economically important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines, Borneo, Sumatra, ...
, Calamondin – (''Citrus reticulata'' × ''Citrus japonica'') *
Cam sành The ' () or King orange (''Citrus reticulata'' × ''sinensis'') is a citrus hybrid originating in Vietnam. ' is Vietnamese for "terracotta orange", although the fruit is more akin to a mandarin or tangerine. The fruit may be easily recognized ...
– (''C. reticulata'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') * Chinotto – ''Citrus'' ×''aurantium'' var. ''myrtifolia'' or ''Citrus'' ×''myrtifolia'' * ChungGyun – ''Citrus reticulata'' cultivar *
Clementine A clementine (''Citrus × clementina'') is a tangor, a citrus fruit hybrid between a willowleaf mandarin orange ( ''C.'' × ''deliciosa'') and a sweet orange (''C. × sinensis''), named in honor of Clément Rodier, a French missionary who fir ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''clementina'' *
Cleopatra Mandarin ''Citrus reshni'' also known as Cleopatra mandarin is a citrus tree that is commonly used in agriculture as a rootstock of different cultivated species of citrus, mostly orange, grapefruit, tangerine and lemon. It originated in India and later wa ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''reshni'' * Siranui – ''Citrus reticulata'' cv. 'Dekopon' (ChungGyun × Ponkan) *
Daidai The daidai (Japanese: 橙, 臭 橙; Chinese: 酸 橙; Korean: 광귤, ''gwanggyul''), is an Asian variety of bitter orange. The daidai originated in the Himalayas. It spread to the Yangtze valley region and later to Japan. The colour of the f ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''aurantium'' var. ''daidai'' or ''Citrus'' ×''daidai'' *
Encore An encore is an additional performance given by performers after the planned show has ended, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford University Pre ...
– ((''Citrus reticulata'' x ''sinensis'') x ''C. deliciosa'') * Grapefruit – ''Citrus'' ×''paradisi'' (''C. maxima'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') * Hermandina – ''Citrus reticulata'' cv. 'Hermandina' * Imperial lemon – ((''C. maxima'' × ''C. medica'') × ''C.'' ×''paradisi'') *
Iyokan The iyokan (伊予柑 - ''Citrus × iyo''), also known as ''anadomikan'' (穴門みかん) and ''Gokaku no Iyokan'', is a Japanese citrus fruit, similar in appearance to a mandarin orange, arising from a cross between the Dancy tangerine and ano ...
, ''anadomikan'' – ''Citrus'' ×''iyo'' * Jabara – (''Citrus jabara'') *
Kanpei Kanpei, also known as Ehime queen splash, is a ''Citrus'' cultivar that originated in Japan. Genetics Kanpei was created by crossing the dekopon and nishinokaori varieties in 1991, although it was not officially introduced until August 2007. De ...
– (''Citrus reticulata'' 'Kanpei') * Kinkoji unshiu – (''Citrus obovoidea'' x ''unshiu'') *
Kinnow The Kinnow is a high yield mandarin hybrid cultivated extensively in the wider Punjab region of India and Pakistan. It is a hybrid of two citrus cultivars — 'King' (''Citrus nobilis'') × 'Willow Leaf' (''Citrus × deliciosa'') — first dev ...
, Wilking – (''C.'' ×''nobilis'' × ''C.'' ×''deliciosa'') * Kishumikan – (''Citrus kinokuni'') *
Kiyomi (''Citrus unshiu'' × '' sinensis'') is a Japanese citrus fruit that is a hybrid of a ''Miyagawa Wase'' mikan and an orange. The new breed was the first tangor created in Japan in 1949. It was named Kiyomi after the temple and the lagoon nea ...
– (''C. sinensis'' × ''C.'' ×''unshiu'') * Kobayashi mikan – (''Citrus natsudaidai'' x ''unshiu'') *
Koji orange Koji orange (''Citrus leiocarpa''), also called smooth-fruited orange in English, bingyul in Korean, 光橘 (Guang ju), 柑 子 (Gan zi), and 日本土柑 (Ri ben tu gan) in Chinese, and コウジ (Kōji) in Japanese, is a ''Citrus'' species nativ ...
– (''Citrus leiocarpa'') * Kuchinotsu No.37 – ('
Kiyomi (''Citrus unshiu'' × '' sinensis'') is a Japanese citrus fruit that is a hybrid of a ''Miyagawa Wase'' mikan and an orange. The new breed was the first tangor created in Japan in 1949. It was named Kiyomi after the temple and the lagoon nea ...
' x 'Encore') *
Laraha Laraha (''Citrus × aurantium'' subsp. ''currassuviencis''), or ''Curaçao orange'' (''Citrus aurantium'' var. ''currassuviencis''), is the name of a citrus tree that grows on the island of Curaçao, and also the fruit of this tree. The name is ...
– 'C.'' ×''aurantium'' ssp. ''currassuviencis'' * Mediterranean mandarin, Willow Leaf – ''Citrus'' ×''deliciosa'' *
Meyer lemon ''Citrus'' × ''meyeri'', the Meyer lemon (), is a hybrid citrus fruit native to China. It is a cross between a citron and a mandarin/pomelo hybrid. Mature trees are around tall with dark green shiny leaves. The flowers are white with a purp ...
, Valley Lemon – ''Citrus'' ×''meyeri'' (''C. medica'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') * Michal mandarin – ''Citrus reticulata'' cv. 'Michal' *
Mikan ''Citrus unshiu'' is a semi-seedless and easy-peeling citrus species, also known as miyagawa mandarin, unshu mikan, cold hardy mandarin, satsuma mandarin, satsuma orange, naartjie, and tangerine. ''Citrus unshiu'' was named after Unshu (Wenzho ...
, Satsuma – ''Citrus'' ×''unshiu'' * Murcott – (''C. reticulata'' x ''sinensis'') * Naartjie – (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. nobilis'') * Nova mandarin, Clemenvilla * Orangelo, Chironja – (''C.'' ×''paradisi'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') * Oroblanco, Sweetie – (''C. maxima'' × ''C.'' ×''paradisi'') * – ''Citrus'' ×''limettioides'' Tanaka (''C. medica'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') * Ponkan – ''Citrus reticulata'' cv. 'Ponkan' * Rangpur, Lemanderin, Mandarin Lime – ''Citrus'' ×''limonia'' (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. medica'') *
Reikou is a cultivar of tangor. It is a citrus hybrid of a hybrid of Kiyomi and Encore ( Kiyomi–Encore No. 5) and Murcott tangor. Description The fruit can be easily peeled by hand. It has a sugar content of between 12% and 13%, with some fruits re ...
– (Kuchinotsu No.37 x 'Murcott') * Rough lemon – ''Citrus'' ×''jambhiri'' Lush. (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. medica'') * Sanbokan – ''Citrus sulcata'' *
Setoka is a seedless and highly sweet Japanese citrus fruit that is a tangor, a hybrid of the Murcott tangor with " Kuchinotsu No. 37", which in turn is a hybrid of the Kiyomi tangor and a King tangor/ Willowleaf mandarin cross, "Encore No. 2". It was ...
– (Kuchinotsu No.37 x 'Murcott') * Shekwasha, Hirami Lemon, Taiwan Tangerine – ''Citrus'' ×''depressa'' * Sunki, Suenkat – ''Citrus'' ''sunki'' or ''C. reticulata'' var. ''sunki'' *
Sweet orange An orange is a fruit of various citrus species in the family Rutaceae (see list of plants known as orange); it primarily refers to ''Citrus'' × ''sinensis'', which is also called sweet orange, to distinguish it from the related ''Citrus × ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''sinensis'' (''C. maxima'' × ''C. reticulata'') *
Tachibana orange The tachibana orange (''Citrus tachibana,'' or ''Citrus reticulata tachibana'') is a variety of mandarin orange, a citrus fruit. They grow wild in the forests of Japan and are referred to in the poetry of the early Japanese and Ryukyu Islands kin ...
– ''Citrus'' ''tachibana'' (Mak.) Tanaka or ''C. reticulata'' var. ''tachibana'' *
Tangelo The tangelo ( , ; ''C. reticulata × C. maxima'' or ''× C. paradisi''), ''Citrus × tangelo, is'' a citrus fruit hybrid of a ''Citrus reticulata'' variety, such as mandarin orange or tangerine, and a ''Citrus maxima'' variety, such as a pomel ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''tangelo'' (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. maxima'' or ''C.'' ×''paradisi'') *
Tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in color. Its scientific name varies. It has been treated as a separate species under the name ''Citrus tangerina'' or ''Citrus'' × ''tangerina'', or treated as a variety of ''Citrus retic ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''tangerina'' *
Tangor The tangor (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. sinensis'') is a citrus fruit hybrid of the mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata'') and the sweet orange (''Citrus sinensis''). The name "tangor" is a formation from the "tang" of tangerine and the "or" of ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''nobilis'' (''C. reticulata'' × ''C.'' ×''sinensis'') *
Ugli The Jamaican tangelo, also known by proprietary names ugli fruit, uglifruit, and uniq fruit, is a citrus fruit that arose on the island of Jamaica through the natural hybridization of a tangerine or orange with a grapefruit (or pomelo), and is t ...
– (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. maxima'' or ''C.'' ×''paradisi'') * Volkamer lemon – ''Citrus'' ×''volkameriana'' (''C. reticulata'' × ''C. medica'') * Yukou – (''Citrus yuko'') *
Yuzu Yuzu (''Citrus junos'', from Japanese or ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of East Asian origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though recently also in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, and France. I ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''junos'' (''C. reticulata'' × ''C.'' ×''cavaleriei'') Other/Unresolved * Djeruk limau – ''Citrus'' ×''amblycarpa'' * Gajanimma, Carabao Lime – ''Citrus'' ×''pennivesiculata'' *
Hyuganatsu Hyuganatsu (''Citrus tamurana'', Japanese: 日向夏) is a citrus fruit and plant grown in Japan. The name comes from Hyūga, the ancient name of Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu, where the citrus is said to have originated, while means summer. ...
, Hyuganatsu pumelo – ''Citrus tamurana'' *
Ichang lemon The ''shangjuan'', or Ichang lemon (''Citrus cavaleriei × C. maxima''), is a cold-hardy citrus fruit and plant originating in East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture ...
– (''C.'' ''cavaleriei'' × ''C. maxima'') *
Kabosu Kabosu (カボス or 臭橙; binomial name: ''Citrus sphaerocarpa'') is a citrus fruit of an evergreen broad-leaf tree in the family Rutaceae. It is popular in Japan, where its juice is used to improve the taste of many dishes, especially cooke ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''sphaerocarpa'' * Odichukuthi – ''Citrus Odichukuthi'' from Malayalam * Ougonkan – ''Citrus flaviculpus'' hort ex. Tanaka * Sakurajima komikan orange * Shonan gold – (Ougonkan) ''Citrus flaviculpus'' hort ex. Tanaka × (Imamura unshiu), ''Citrus unshiu'' Marc *
Sudachi Sudachi (''Citrus sudachi''; Japanese: スダチ or 酢 橘) is a small, round, green citrus fruit of Japanese origin that is a specialty of Tokushima Prefecture in Japan. It is a sour citrus, not eaten as fruit, but used as food flavoring in p ...
– ''Citrus'' ×''sudachi'' For hybrids with kumquats, see
citrofortunella Citrofortunella are a large group of commercial hybrids that cross the kumquat with other citrus. In the system of citrus taxonomy established by Swingle, kumquats were placed in a different genus, '' Fortunella'', from ''Citrus'', which included ...
. For hybrids with the trifoliate orange, see
citrange The citrange (a portmanteau of ''citrus'' and ''orange'') is a citrus hybrid of the sweet orange and the trifoliate orange. The purpose of this cross was to attempt to create a cold hardy citrus tree (which is the nature of a trifoliate), with d ...
.


See also

*
Citrus taxonomy Citrus taxonomy refers to the botanical classification of the species, varieties, cultivars, and graft hybrids within the genus ''Citrus'' and related genera, found in cultivation and in the wild. Citrus taxonomy is complex and controversial. ...
*
Japanese citrus A number of citrus fruits are grown in or strongly associated with Japan. Many of these fruits are of Chinese origin, but have been modified or specially bred for cultivation in Japan. Japanese taxonomy Japan usually follows the botanical name ...
*
List of lemon dishes and beverages This is a list of lemon dishes and drinks, in which lemon is used as a primary ingredient. Lemon is a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughou ...


References


External links


Effects of pollination on Citrus plants
Pollination of Citrus by Honey Bees
Citrus Research and Education Center
of IFAS (largest citrus research center in world)
Citrus Variety Collection by the University of California


(Mark Rieger, Professor of Horticulture, University of Georgia)

is an organization of citrus Brazilian producers and processors.
''Citrus'' – taxonomy
fruit anatomy Fruit anatomy is the plant anatomy of the internal structure of fruit. Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Aggr ...
at GeoChemBio * {{Authority control Cocktail garnishes Garden plants
Citrus fruits ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is nativ ...
Lists of plants Ornamental trees Plants used in bonsai Aurantioideae genera