or is a yellowish orange
citrus hybrid
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. ...
fruit, a group of
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 of ''Citrus natsudaidai'', which were discovered in 1740 in the
Yamaguchi prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Yamaguchi Prefecture has a population of 1,377,631 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 6,112 km2 (2,359 sq mi). Yamaguchi Prefecture borders Shimane Prefecture t ...
of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
.
Names
''Amanatsu'' means "sweet summer" in Japanese. In Japan, the fruit is known as , but also colloquially the ''amanatsu'', , , and .
Description
Natsumikan is about the size of
grapefruit
The grapefruit (''Citrus'' × ''paradisi'') is a subtropical citrus tree known for its relatively large, sour to semi-sweet, somewhat bitter fruit. The interior flesh is segmented and varies in color from pale yellow to dark pink.
Grapefruit ...
and
oblate
In Christianity (especially in the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Methodist traditions), an oblate is a person who is specifically dedicated to God or to God's service.
Oblates are individuals, either laypersons or clergy, normally liv ...
in shape. The fruit contains 12 segments and about 30 seeds. The rough textured fruit is easy to peel and is commonly eaten fresh. It is also used for wide variety of products ranging from
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 to alcoholic beverages.
Cultivation
Natsumikan is grown commercially in Japan, notably in
Yamaguchi,
Kumamoto
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2.
had a population of 1,461,000, ...
and
Ehime prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Ehime Prefecture has a population of 1,342,011 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 5,676 km2 (2,191 sq mi). Ehime Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the northeast, T ...
. The city of
Hagi is famous for its natsumikans, particularly when used in natsumikan juice and ice cream.
Yamaguchi Prefecture takes such pride in their natsumikan industry that the typically white crash barriers of Japan were changed to a befitting orange.
Genetics
The natsumikan tree is believed to be genetically derived from 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 ...
(''Citrus grandis'' or ''Citrus maxima'').
Medicine
Researchers found that immature natsumikan peel is beneficial for the treatment of
chronic allergic
Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic der ...
dermatitis
Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened. The area of skin involved c ...
in mice.
Gallery
File:Citrus kawanonatsudaidai.jpg, The large bearing tree.
File:Citrus-natsudaidai.jpg, Locally at Nagato, Yamaguchi.
File:Gardens with natsumikans in hagi.jpg, At street side in Hagi, Yamaguchi
is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, which was incorporated on July 1, 1932. As of May 31, 2016, the city has an estimated population of 50,179 and a population density of 71.80 of persons per km². The total area is 698.86 ...
.
File:Amanatsu trees on Nokonoshima Island.JPG, On Nokonoshima Island.
File:Citrus natsudaidai Melanose.jpg, Blossoms.
File:Natsudaidai.JPG, On tree.
File:Kusune Citrus natsudaidai.JPG, Fruit.
See also
*
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 over ...
*
Daidai
*
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 ...
*
Mikan
References
Further reading
Natsudaidaiat the
Citrus Variety Collection
The UCR Citrus Variety Collection (CVC) is one of the most important collections of citrus diversity in the world. It is used for research, plant breeding, and educational extension activities on the UC Riverside campus in Riverside, California.
...
{{Taxonbar, from=Q453563
Citrus
Citrus hybrids
Japanese fruit
Taxa named by Bunzō Hayata