Citrus deliciosa Ten.

ORIGIN DATA:

The Mediterranean Mandarin is particular among mandarins for its marked aroma and sweet flavor with slight bitter tints. The fruit is known in Spain as Mandarina Común or Comuna, while in Italy it is the Avana. It is believed to be the result of the adaptation of a Chinese mandarin (C. suhuiensis Tan.) to the Mediterranean climate, and was discovered in Italy between 1810 and 1818. It quickly spread to all the producing countries of the Mediterranean Basin and the Near East, being the mother of the clementines. In Spain it was cultivated in the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, being later replaced by varieties more adapted to the Central European consumer (like the clementines themselves).

TREE AND FRUIT DESCRIPTION:

The fruit is medium-small, slightly lobed, with a depressed and slightly wrinkled apex. The rind is thin, loose, smooth, shiny and with large aromatic oil glands. Pulp is light orange, tender, juicy, sweet tasting and pleasantly aromatic (distinctive). Seeds are present. Not good post-harvest performance.

USES:

Fresh consumption.