Mandarin orange

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Mandarin orange or mandarin is a small citrus tree (Citrus reticulata) with fruit resembling the orange. The fruit is oblate, rather than spherical, and roughly resembles a pumpkin in shape. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. Specifically reddish orange mandarin cultivars can be marketed as a tangerine, but this is not a botanical classification.

The tree is more tolerant to drought than the fruit. The mandarin is tender and gets damaged easily by the cold. It can be grown in tropical and subtropical areas.

[edit] Varieties and characteristics

The mandarin has many names, some of which actually refer to crosses between the mandarin and another citrus fruit. Most canned mandarins are of the satsuma variety, of which there are over 200 cultivars. Satsumas are known as mikan in Japan. One of the more well-known satsuma cultivars is the "Owari", which ripens during the late fall season in the Northern Hemisphere. Clementines, however, have displaced satsumas in many markets and are becoming the most important commercial mandarin variety.

The tangor, which is also called the temple orange, is a cross between the mandarin and the common orange. Its thin rind is easy to peel; and its pale orange pulp is spicy, full-flavored, and tart.

The rangpur is a cross between the mandarin and the lemon.

[edit] Biological characteristics

Citrus fruit varieties are usually self-fertile (needing the bee only to move pollen within the same flower) or parthenocarpic (not needing pollination and therefore seedless) (such as satsumas).

Blossoms from the Dancy cultivar are, as an example, an exception. They are self sterile, therefore must have a pollenizer variety to supply pollen, and a high bee population to make a good crop.

Further, some varieties, notably clementines, are usually seed free, but will develop seeds if cross pollinated with seeded citrus. Thus, great efforts are taken to isolate clementine orchards from any seeded citrus varieties.

[edit] Ethnomedical Uses

• The dried peel of the fruit of C. Reticulata is used in the regulation of ch'i in TCM
• The peel is also used to treat abdominal distention, enhance digestion, and to reduce phlegm.

[edit] Production volume

The "Clemenules" (or "Nules") varity of clementine accounts for the great majority of clementines produced in the world. Spain alone has over 200,000 acres (800 km²), producing fruit between November and January. Mandarins marketed as tangerines are usually Dancy, Sunburst or Murcott (Honey) cultivars.

Mandarin orange tree

Closeup of Mandarin orange tree

Mandarin orange segments

[edit] External links

• UC Riverside Mandarin Variety Descriptions
• Mandarin Orange - from Morton, J. (1987) Fruits of Warm Climatesca:Mandarina

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