CHAPTER 4
Horticultural Varieties of Citrus
HORTICULTURAL CLASSIFICATION
In general appearance and other respects, the citrus fruits of principal commercial importance fall into four, reasonably-well-defined horticultural groups: the oranges, the mandarins, the pummelos and grapefruits, and the common acid members. The common acid group includes three subgroups—the citrons, lemons, and limes. While the writer's competence does not extend to all the citrus fruits that have horticultural importance, the considerable number with which he is acquainted all exhibit horticultural resemblances with one or more of these groups and subgroups that suggest some degree of relationship. In most instances, it is not difficult to determine the group of closest resemblance and probable or possible relationship. Therefore, in this treatment, for each of the natural groups presented there is a subsection covering fruits of horticultural importance that most closely resemble the group in question. In some instances, however, lack of first-hand acquaintance with a fruit has necessitated provisional placement.
In addition to the fruit groups mentioned above, all of which belong to the genus Citrus, there are the kumquats, which belong to the closely related genus Fortunella, and the so-called but much more distantly related trifoliate orange, Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf. The kumquats comprise a group of considerable importance for their fruits. The trifoliate orange, together with its hybrids, is of significance as a rootstock.
The Oranges.—The principal members of the orange group are the sweet orange and the bitter orange, which though similar in many respects have important differences.
Four kinds of sweet oranges are recognized:
1. The common orange (blond orange of the Mediterranean), which is much the most important of the four and contains a large number of varieties.
2. The sugar or acidless orange, which is of minor importance and so lacking in acid that it is insipid in flavor.
3. The pigmented or blood orange, which is of considerable importance in Europe and includes two categories: (a) the light blood oranges; and (b) the deep blood oranges.
4. The navel orange, which is of great importance and represented mainly by the Washington navel variety.
The following three kinds of fruit are recognized among the bitter or sour oranges proper:
1. The common bitter or sour orange that is used principally as a rootstock and for the preparation of marmalade.
2. The bittersweet orange, the fruit of which is similar to the common bitter orange but less acid.
3. The variant bitter oranges, grown primarily as ornamentals and for the flowers, from which neroli oil is extracted.
Mediterranean fruits of horticultural importance that are obviously closely related to the bitter orange include:
1. The myrtle-leaf orange or chinotto, grown mostly as an ornamental.
2. The bergamot, grown primarily for its distinctive rind oil that constitutes the base of cologne water and has other perfumery uses.
Oriental fruits that more closely resemble the bitter orange than any other include the Naruto and Sanbô of Japan, the Kitchli of India, and the Nanshôdaidai of Taiwan.
The Mandarins.—Because of the remarkable diversity of the mandarins and the writer's lack of first-hand knowledge of many of the Oriental members, considerable difficulty was experienced in developing a satisfactory horticultural classification for this group. In this treatment, therefore, the mandarins are presented in the following classes:
1. The satsuma mandarins (Citrus unshiu Marcovitch), which are of great importance in Japan and consist of many varieties.
2. The King mandarins (Citrus nobilis Loureiro), which have considerable importance in southeast Asia but contain few varieties.
3. The Mediterranean mandarin (Citrus deliciosa Tenore), which is of principal importance in the Mediterranean basin.
4. The common mandarins (Citrus reticulata Blanco), which have worldwide importance and are represented by numerous varieties.
5. The small-fruited mandarins, which are of considerable importance in the Orient and consist of many varieties.
The mandarin-like fruits include the synthetic tangors; the so-called natural tangor, Temple; many of the synthetic tangelos; the so-called natural tangelo, Ugli; and the Calamondin and Rangpur of the Orient, the latter of which includes the varieties Kusaie and Otaheite.
The Pummelos and Grapefruits.—While similar in many respects and overlapping in certain characters, horticulturally the pummelos and grapefruits comprise separate classes, each of which consists of both non-pigmented and pigmented varieties. Additionally, the pummelos contain both common acid and acidless or sweet varieties.
Fruits that more resemble the grapefruit or pummelo than any other include a number of synthetic tangelos; the so-called natural orangelo, Chironja of Puerto Rico; the Poorman, Smooth Seville, and Wheeny grapefruit of Australia; and the Natsudaidai, Hassaku, Banokan, Hyuganatsu, Kinkôji, and Kinukawa of Japan; and the Attani of India.
The Citrons.—The citrons, like the other members of the common acid group, fall into two classes—the acid and the sweet—each of which contains several varieties.
Fruits more resembling the citron than any other include the so-called Cuban shaddock and Ponderosa lemon, the lumias of the Mediterranean, and the giant-fruited citrons of India.
The Lemons.—The lemons, like the citrons, consist of the common or acid varieties, which are numerous and important, and the comparatively few and minor sweet or acidless varieties.
Of the fruits that most closely resemble the lemons, those of principal horticultural importance are the limettas of the Mediterranean, the jamberi or rough lemon, the galgal and karna of India, and the so-called Meyer lemon of China.
The Limes.—Like the citrons and lemons, the limes include both acid and sweet varieties, but in addition the sour limes consist of two kinds—the small-fruited Indian, West Indian, or Mexican lime and the large-fruited Tahiti or Persian lime, both of which have very few varieties.
The lime-like fruits of principal horticultural importance include the synthetic lemonime, Perrine; several so-called lemons in India that appear to be natural lemonimes; and the bigeneric limequats (lime X kumquat), of which there are a few lime-like varieties.
The Kumquats.—The principal fruits of horticultural importance or interest of the genus Fortunella are several kinds or varieties of the kumquat, the bigeneric, so-called orangequat, and the trigeneric citrangequats, of which there are a few varieties.
The Trifoliate Orange.—Of the genus Poncirus, the trifoliate orange and some of its bigeneric hybrids—notably the citranges—are important primarily for their value as rootstocks. A few of the citranges also approach edibility.
THE NATURE AND CONSTANCY OF CHARACTERS IN CITRUS
Fruit and Tree Characters
In addition to the common characters possessed by other fruits, such as size, shape, color, form of the basal (stem) and apical (stylar) ends, flavor, and general seed features, the citrus fruits exhibit certain characters associated with: (1) the anatomy of the distinctive hesperidium fruit; (2) their degree of parthenocarpy; and (3) their degree of polyembryony. Among the distinctive anatomical characters are those relating to the rind (flavedo and albedo) and inclusions (oil glands), the endocarp (fruit segments and juice vesicles), the central column or axis, and special structures that are or may be present in the apex (areole, mammilla, navel). Seedlessness characterizes certain groups and varieties and monoembryony is exhibited by some.
External Fruit Characters.—Citrus fruits range in size from very small to very large. Among the smallest are the kumquats, Calamondin, and some of the acid limes, the greatest dimension of which may scarcely exceed an inch and a quarter (3 cm). At the other extreme are the pummelo and citron which may attain a foot (30 cm) or more in diameter or length. While the largest of the citrus fruits are pummelos, the heaviest are citrons because of their much greater rind density. Some citrons attain weights of 10 to 12 pounds (approximately 4,500 to 5,550 grams). Considering the citrus fruit groups as a whole, generally the oranges are medium-small to medium in size, the mandarins small to medium, the grapefruits medium-large to large, the lemons medium-small, the acid limes very small to small, the pummelos large to very large, and the citrons medium-large to very large. The size range within each fruit group is variable, however, and is greatest in the mandarins, pummelos, limes, and oranges, each of which has varieties of smaller or larger size than the group average. These are referred to as small-fruited or large-fruited varieties of each group.
The shapes exhibited by the citrus fruits (fig. 4-1) range from round through subglobose and oblate to obovoid on one extreme and from broadly pyriform to ovoid, oblong, elliptical, and cylindrical on the other. In general, the oranges are round or slight modifications thereof, the mandarins oblate, the grapefruits and pummelos subglobose, the lemons elliptical, and the limes oval. The citrons are highly variable but mostly cylindrical, and some of the pummelos are pyriform.
Superimposed on the general shape, and in some cases contributing thereto, are the basal and apical characters that may be present. These characters may be rounded, flattened, or depressed in form, the latter form giving rise to a basin. Likewise, they may be furrowed or ribbed. Other basal characters that may occur include a neck, shoulder, or collar. Other apical characters include the areole, which may be so indistinct that it is not evident, a nipple (mammilla), or a navel. The neck character seems to occur oftenest in the lemons and mandarins and the navel most often in the oranges and mandarins. The mammilla appears to be confined largely to the limes, lemons, and citrons. In a few fruits, notably some of the citrons and the bergamot, a certain percentage of the fruits retain the style.
The smoothness of the rind surface, which is highly variable, is in part determined by the size and position of the oil glands in the flavedo, which may give rise to small papillae or pits. In addition, the rind may be rough, wrinkled, bumpy, or ribbed. Most of the citrons exhibit the bumpy rind character, and many lemons are more or less ribbed.
The primary color of the citrus fruits ranges from pale yellow to orange-red. The limes, lemons, citrons, grapefruits, and pummelos exhibit varying shades of the former and the oranges and mandarins of the latter. Superimposed on the primary color are various shades of pink or red exhibited by the pigmented grapefruits and pummelos and the blood oranges.
Internal Fruit Characters.—For the most part, the internal characters of the citrus fruits are related to the distinctive structure of the hesperidium and concerned with the rind, fruit segments and inclusions, the central axis or medulla, and the seeds.
For the citrus fruit groups as a whole, the range in both thickness and consistency of the rind is very great—from the extremely thick rind of some of the pummelos and the citrons to the very thin peel of the Indian acid lime, and from the soft, spongy nature of the albedo of the pummelo to the hard, dense fleshiness of the albedo of the citrons. The range within each fruit group is also variable, giving rise to both thin-skinned and thick-rinded varieties. The greatest range in rind thickness is exhibited by the pummelos, citrons, and mandarins. Likewise, the range in degree of adherence of the rind to the fruit segments is very great—from the citrons, in which it cannot be separated by peeling, to the mandarins, in some of which it is almost completely loose at full maturity.
Characters relating to the oil glands (in the flavedo) and their contents are also highly variable and appear to be distinctive for many of the citrus fruits. These include the number, shape, size, arrangement, and position of the oil glands, and the kind, amount, and aroma of the oils. Some of the aromas may be quite distinctive—fragrant as in the lemon or pungent as in the bitter orange.
Among the principal characters of the edible portion of the fruit or pulp are the number of segments and the degree of their adherence to each other, the texture of the carpellary membranes, the form, size, and texture of the juice sacs or vesicles, and the color, amount, and flavor of the juice. The number of segments averages highest in the pummelos, grapefruits, and citrons, and lowest in the kumquats, Calamondin, and acid limes. The number of segments in the other fruits is intermediate. Their attachment to each other is tightest in the citrons and loosest in the mandarins. The juice vesicles vary greatly in size and form, somewhat in texture, and are distinctive for many of the citrus fruits. In general, juice color corresponds somewhat with rind color, the range extending from pale green in the acid limes to deep orange in some of the oranges and mandarins. Juice color is light to deep pink in the pigmented grapefruits and pummelos and may be dark red in the deep blood oranges. The flavor of the juice varies greatly, depending principally on the total soluble solids content, the sugar-acid ratio, and the nature and content of essential oils. Flavor ranges from insipid or flat to sweet, rich, or sour. In some fruits, there is a characteristic mild to strong bitter aftertaste. A pleasant aroma characterizes the juice of some of the mandarins and oranges.
The size and solidity of the central column (columella or core) varies greatly at maturity and may be somewhat affected by climate and other factors. In most of the citrons and pummelos, it is very large, while in the acid limes it is quite small. In some fruits, such as the acid limes and citrons, the column retains its solidity as the fruit develops, whereas in the mandarins it breaks down early and at maturity all that remains are the vascular bundles which traverse it. It may therefore be solid (closed), semi-solid, or hollow (open). One of the distinctive differences between sweet and bitter oranges consists in the much greater degree of openness of core exhibited by the latter.
The seed content of citrus fruits is highly variable and for some groups and varieties constitutes a distinctive character, although it may also be affected by climate and other factors. Thus, the navel oranges, satsuma mandarins, and a few other varieties are usually seedless, since they rarely produce viable ovules and pollen. Even though viable pollen is produced in abundance, many of the principal varieties regularly produce few or no viable ovules and hence are commercially seedless (none to ten seeds). When self-pollinated, some varieties are nearly seedless, whereas they are seedy when cross-pollinated. In the seedy varieties, the number of seeds may range from one to four or more per fruit segment.
The seeds are highly distinctive for the different citrus fruits and vary greatly in size, shape, surface texture, and somewhat in color. Internal characters include color of the inner seed coat, the chalazal spot and cotyledons, and the degree of polyembryony. The pummelos and citrons are regularly monoembryonic, whereas the grapefruits, Indian acid lime, and many of the mandarins are highly polyembryonic. The oranges and lemons are usually intermediate.
Tree Characters.—Normal season of maturity is a varietal character of great importance that is determined by the interaction of the environment and the total heat requirement of the tree. While, as might be expected, the citrus fruits as a whole are characterized by a wide range in heat requirement for fruit maturity, some of them—notably the mandarins and sweet oranges—exhibit surprisingly large differences in varietal heat requirement. As a consequence, there are very early, early, midseason, and late-maturing varieties for both of these fruits, extending over a maturity period of several months. Of importance in this connection is still another varietal character determined by the tree: the ability to hold or store the fruit for a lengthy period without appreciable impairment in quality or loss from dropping. The Valencia orange variety is outstanding in this regard.
The range of variation in tree growth habit exhibited by the citrus fruits as a whole is very wide—from the straggly, shrub-like citron to the large, highly symmetrical trees of most of the sweet oranges and grapefruits and some of the mandarins. Within each fruit group, however, the range of growth habit is highly variable. The grapefruits and sweet oranges show the narrowest range and the mandarins the widest. Certain varietal groups, such as the satsuma mandarins and navel oranges, are characterized by growth habits so distinctive that they are useful in identification. This is true also of certain groups of lemon varieties, with particular reference to vigor, density of foliage, and degree of thorniness. In addition, some varieties of oranges and mandarins have leaves of distinctive size, form, color, or other features.
Descriptive Terms, Definitions, and Forms.—Because it remains the best presentation available in English and may therefore be of value to teachers, students, and technicians, Webber's (1943) outline for the description of citrus fruits is reproduced.
The foregoing outline is designed for use as a printed blank. Under each heading the most common descriptive terms are given so that in describing a fruit sample the terms applying can be checked. If the fruit varies in a certain character, the two or more descriptive terms applicable should be checked. The outline is clear in most details, but a few characters may require explanation. Definitions of most of the terms used may be found in botanical glossaries and dictionaries.
Color should be carefully compared when possible with some standard color charts, such as those of Ridgway (1912).
The D/H index given under size is obtained by dividing the diameter of a fruit by its height (distance from stem to apex). The average D/H is obtained by totaling the indices of all the individual fruits measured and dividing by the number of fruits.
The descriptive terms applied to the base of citrus fruits will be readily understood by an examination of figure 4-2.
The areole is the area at the apex of the fruit which is usually set off by a more or less distinct circular furrow surrounding the stylar scar. In descriptions, the circular furrow is referred to as the areole and the area within it as the areolar area.
The inner seed coat is the membranous covering under the thick, leathery exterior coat. The chalazal spot is the round area on the inner seed coat at the chalazal end of the seed, which commonly is characteristically colored.
The work of Chapot (1955a) in the descriptive pomology of the citrus fruits is outstanding. His monograph on seed characters in Citrus (Chapot and Praloran, 1955) is a contribution of great importance and significance, as are also his numerous other papers.
Constancy of Characters
While the botanical characters relating to the leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds are sufficiently distinctive and constant to permit relatively easy determination of species, botanical varieties, and certain subspecies groups, these characters nevertheless exhibit a considerable degree of variability. Horticultural characters of both tree and fruit, by means of which varietal identification can be made, are extremely variable, however, and many of them are highly lacking in constancy. This results in numerous citrus fruit varieties which are distinguishable with difficulty, if at all.
Since constancy of citrus characters varies greatly, descriptions overlap slightly and identification may be somewhat blurred. Such tree characters as distinctive growth habit, comparative season of fruit maturity, and ability to store the fruit on the tree are relatively stable and constant in a subtropical climate. As would be expected, the most constant fruit characters are those related to the special anatomical features of the fruit: the presence or absence and nature of the areole, mammilla, or navel. Degree of seediness and comparative acidity of the juice are variable, of course, but still reasonably constant. Comparative size and form of the fruit, comparative color, and thickness and adherence of the rind, while highly variable among varieties, exhibit a reasonable degree of constancy within a variety and hence are useful.
Some citrus tree characters and most fruit characters are markedly affected by environmental influences. Indeed, these are of very great importance, for they largely determine the distinctive characteristics of the fruit upon which market reputation and consumer preference are based. The principal environmental influences undoubtedly are climate and rootstock. Soil type and cultural practices may also affect fruit characteristics, although usually to a minor degree.
Climatic Effects.—Among tree characters, period of fruit maturity is undoubtedly of greatest importance and is determined by the nature of the climate. Thus, the Valencia orange is horticulturally mature by January in the very hot, dry, low-elevation desert of southern California, but does not attain maturity until the following June in the cool, mild, equable coastal valley regions. Ability of trees to hold their fruit is also affected by the nature of the climate during and after maturity; this character is minimized by warm night conditions after maturity. Even certain aspects of tree growth habit—compactness of tree and density of foliage—are influenced by climate; these tendencies are accentuated in dry and very cool climates.
The effects of climate factors on fruit characters are much more striking, however, and are sometimes remarkable.
While there are numerous factors that may affect fruit size, climatic conditions characterized by high heat and humidity during the growing season make for large fruit. Thus, the large-fruited Washington navel orange, which attains ideal size in California, reaches undesirably large size in the humid, semitropical climates which characterize Brazil and Florida. In contrast, the small-fruited Hamlin orange never attains a commercially acceptable size in the arid, cooler subtropical climate of the southern California coastal region but does become sufficiently large in Florida and Brazil. In this general connection, it may be pointed out that the "small fruit" problem is restricted to medium-sized varieties in arid regions and in seasons of marginal or below average heat, whereas the "large fruit" problem is confined to large-fruited varieties in regions or in seasons of above-average heat or humidity.
Fruit form may be profoundly modified by climatic factors. In general, the axis is longer in regions of low atmospheric humidity, and vice versa. Thus, an oval variety, such as Shamouti orange, may range from short-oblong (almost round) to long-elliptic depending on climate. Likewise, the average shape, within any given round variety of orange, may range from subglobose to oblong, with accompanying differences in diameter-height (D/H) index from well above 1 to considerably below that value. The factors which function to increase length of the fruit also appear to favor or accentuate the tendency to develop a neck in the mandarins and a pyriform shape in the grapefruits. Therefore, the same variety may exhibit significantly different fruit forms in regions of different climatic conditions.
It has long been recognized that color is markedly affected by the temperature regime during the ripening period and thereafter. Maximum color intensity develops when the fruit is subjected to considerable chilling—normally the result of cold nights. In arid, subtropical climates, this is assured by the prevalent cool nights (associated with the wide diurnal fluctuations in temperature) which characterize the fall and winter months. Primarily because of warmer nights (associated with small diurnal temperature variations), color development in semitropical climates is much slower and the intensity ultimately attained considerably lower, with the possible exception of some of the mandarins, notably Dancy tangerine.
Other fruit characters materially affected by atmospheric humidity during the growing season include rind surface, thickness, texture and adherence, texture of the flesh (juice vesicles and carpellary membranes), and juice content. Thus, in semitropical regions such as Florida, the rind is smoother, thinner, softer, and more tightly adherent, the flesh and carpellary membranes are tenderer, and the juice content is higher than in such subtropical regions as California.
Flavor is markedly influenced by the same conditions that are primarily responsible for the intensity of color development, namely, degree of fluctuation between day and night temperature. Wide diurnal fluctuation appears to promote sugar accumulation and acid formation, and vice versa. In general, therefore, the fruit grown in arid subtropical climates is more strongly and richly flavored than that produced in semitropical or tropical climates. Fruits or varieties that are characterized by relatively high acidity, however, such as the kumquats and some of the mandarins (for example, King and Kara) and their hybrids (for example, Temple tangor and Minneola and Seminole tangelos) are more pleasantly flavored in semitropical or tropical climates, and vice versa. The same seems to be true with respect to the bitterness that characterizes most of the grapefruits and some of their hybrids (notably Sampson tangelo). Since individual tastes differ so greatly, it is meaningless to argue as to the superiority or inferiority of one over the other. The important fact is that they exhibit distinctive differences.
Likewise, the characteristics of the areole, mammilla, and navel are subject to climatic modification. In general, these modifications are more pronounced and prominent in arid than in humid climates. In the hot semitropics, the areolar furrow, which may be prominent in the arid subtropics, is usually absent and the nipple much less well developed or even suppressed to the degree that it is scarcely discernible, if at all. In subtropical regions, it has long been recognized that the size and prominence of the navel in the navel oranges varies considerably among climatic zones, from season to season, and even between the exterior and interior parts of the tree.
A most remarkable illustration of the interactions between climatic factors and fruit characteristics is afforded by the Nagpur mandarin in central India, where climatic conditions induce the production of several periods of bloom per year and, thus, provide a choice of the bloom to be employed—spring or fall. Many of the growers use the spring bloom for part of the orchard and the fall bloom for the remainder. The characteristics of the fruit in the two crops are remarkably different. The spring-bloom fruit is larger, flatter in form, paler in color, and notably less acid. Its sugar-acid ratio averages approximately double that of the fall-bloom fruit. Bonavia (1888-90) has described numerous other more striking illustrations in India, where there is doubtless a wider range of citrus species and forms and of climatic conditions than exists elsewhere.
Another less spectacular illustration is exhibited by the lemon, most varieties of which have two principal periods of bloom—spring and late summer or early fall—but are more or less everflowering and everbearing. In Italy, the crops resulting from the flowers produced at various times during the year have been named and accurately described (Casella, 1935b). There are clearly greater differences between some of them, notably Primofiori (spring) and Verdelli (summer) than between many lemon varieties.
Rootstock Effects.—Although rootstocks may effect growth habit to some degree, their principal effects on tree characters are concerned with period of fruit maturity and ability of the tree to hold or store the fruit. On certain rootstocks, notably the rough lemon and Indian or Palestine sweet lime, the acidity attained by most citrus fruits is significantly reduced as compared to such common rootstocks as sour or sweet orange. As a consequence, on these rootstocks maturity is advanced as judged by taste or measured by the sugar-acid ratio. The flavor is not rich, however, for the total soluble solids content of the juice is likewise usually low. On certain other rootstocks, notably trifoliate orange, the soluble solids are significantly increased, with the result that although a corresponding sugar-acid ratio is attained at approximately the same period the fruit has a richer flavor. Earliness of commercial maturity, as measured by either the sugar-acid ratio or acid content of the juice, may therefore be markedly affected by the rootstock employed. Closely associated with these effects is the ability of trees to hold or store the fruit. The rough lemon as a rootstock causes the fruit to lose quality—both juice content and flavor—and to drop earlier than normal, whereas the bitter orange as a rootstock seems to prolong the period of satisfactory storage on the trees.
The principal fruit characters that may be affected by rootstocks include size, color, rind thickness, juice content, and flavor. Thus, orange size is usually somewhat larger on the trifoliate and bitter orange rootstocks and smaller on sweet orange. Color is sometimes paler on the rough lemon and Palestine sweet lime rootstocks and the thickness of rind is generally greater, with a corresponding reduction in juice content. And, as brought out above, flavor is richer on certain rootstocks than on others. With the exception of flavor, however, rootstock effects on fruit characters are usually less marked than those caused by climatic factors.
Soil Influences.—That the soil may affect tree characters and fruit characteristics is a belief of long standing that finds support in observational evidence. It appears that average fruit size is larger and maturity is slightly earlier on the lighter-textured soils, but that the color is likely to be paler, the rind thicker, and the flavor poorer. And it is generally agreed that the fruit holds on the trees better on the finer-textured soils.
Soil differences are usually small, however, unless accentuated by rootstock effects. Thus, the undesirable influences of the rough lemon rootstock are increased by sandy soils and reduced slightly by silty soils.
Limitations of Descriptive Pomology.—From the foregoing, it is clear that the horticultural characters concerned in the identification and description of citrus fruit varieties are so variable and subject to such profound environmental modification that the problems presented are difficult indeed. Thus, on the basis of fruit characters alone it is impossible to identify many varieties. And it is difficult or impossible to accurately identify numerous varieties on the basis of both tree and fruit characters. It is highly probable that there are far fewer varieties than the lists available indicate. This is further suggested by the absence of comprehensive and dependable varietal keys for countries and regions where citriculture has been practiced longest and where varieties are most numerous.
With regard to varietal description, even though the sampling provides representative materials, it is obvious that detailed and exact descriptions are accurate and meaningful only for a given environment or similar conditions of climate and rootstock. Thus, descriptions of the same varieties in different countries or states often fail to correspond in important respects. Perhaps the best illustration is afforded by the differences between Florida and California varieties. Detailed descriptions of Florida varieties grown in California are far from accurate for Florida conditions, and vice versa.
VARIETAL DEFINITIONS AND MODES OF ORIGIN THE PRINCIPAL VARIETIES AND THEIR MOST DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS THE SWEET ORANGE (CITRUS SINENSIS [L.] OSBECK)
Irrespective of mode of origin and method of reproduction or multiplication, a horticultural variety (cultivar) consists of a named or otherwise designated group of plants representing one of the many genetically different kinds of any given cultivated plant species or botanical variety (Frost, 1943, p. 837). In citrus, as with most other fruits, a horticultural variety traces back to a single parent tree or individual mutant branch which has been multiplied by vegetative or asexual means, such as cuttage or graftage. To provide a more precise name for a group of such plants, Webber (1903) introduced the term clone. Citrus varieties or cultivars are therefore clonal varieties.
Complicating the situation to some degree is the fact that in most citrus varieties the existence of the phenomenon of polyembryony makes available apomictic seedlings of nucellar origin. These are genetically identical with the seed parent, but may exhibit physiological differences of some magnitude and duration that apparently relate to age from seed propagation and diminish with time until they ultimately disappear. These probably should be regarded as juvenile characters. Because of these differences, it has become desirable to distinguish between the parent, original, or "mother" clonal selection or budline and the nucellar or "daughter" clonal line of the same variety. For various reasons, in California and increasingly so elsewhere in the United States, nucellar or young clonal budlines or selections are rapidly displacing parent or old clonal budlines, and this trend seems certain to extend to other countries.
Another complicating factor is the existence within certain varieties, notably among lemons in California, of slight but consistent variations that can be detected with certainty only by growing considerable numbers of trees of different progenies in close proximity. These differences are evident mainly in comparative habit of growth, vigor, density of foliage, and sometimes in fruitfulness. Presumably, such variations have arisen as seedlings or undetected budsports, principally the latter, and have unintentionally been propagated. Since the differences are small and detectable with difficulty, they have commonly been referred to as strains. While this type of delineation is well established in California, and to some extent elsewhere, and may appear to have certain advantages, it is technically incorrect according to the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (Anonymous, 1961, p. 13). So-called strains which exhibit desirable characteristics and are considered worthy of distribution therefore should be given varietal designations irrespective of origin or degree of resemblance to already named varieties.
The selection and naming of outstanding old bearing trees as sources of propagation materials is currently widespread in California and to some extent elsewhere, having been greatly stimulated by the extensive studies initiated about 1909 by Shamel (1943) and his associates. Unfortunately, these old bearing selections have commonly been incorrectly referred to as strains instead of clonal selections or budlines. Almost without exception they have been found to be identical with the variety in question. Whatever differences in behavior they may have exhibited, if any, are attributable to the nature and degree of virus or other infections they carry. There have been a few such selections, however, that apparently are different and represent undetected bud variations in the parent tree or an error in its bud parentage. These are in reality new or different clonal varieties.
In common with other fruits, citrus varieties may originate as chance seedlings, budsports (somatic mutations), or hybrids resulting from plant breeding. Most of the varieties currently grown doubtless originated as chance seedlings. This is known to be true for most of the orange and grapefruit varieties discovered in Florida. This mode of origin is no longer operative to an important degree, however. Some varieties are known to have originated as limb sports, notably numerous navel orange and satsuma mandarin varieties and the pigmented grapefruit varieties. A few promising varieties resulting from breeding programs in Florida and California have been introduced and others are in prospect.
The early literature (Han Yen-chih [1178], 1923; Ferrari, 1646; and Bauhin, 1650) does not indicate specific recognition of the horticultural variety concept, although it is suggested by descriptions of numerous kinds of oranges, mandarins, lemons, and citrons, and references to the budding and grafting of seedling trees. By the nineteenth century, however, there can be little doubt that the concept was recognized, since Gallesio (1811) described accurately eight kinds of orange and Risso and Poiteau (1818-22) described and figured forty-two varieties of citrus fruits.
The first relatively adequate horticultural classification of the citrus fruits and description of their varieties in the United States is that of Hume (1904, 1926) and the most recent and comprehensive that of Webber (1943). In California, Spalding (1885) was perhaps the first to attempt the listing and description of varieties, followed shortly by Lelong (1888), who presented much more detailed and accurate characterizations. For descriptions of Mediterranean varieties, the reader is referred to Casella (1935a), Rebour (1950), and Gonzalez-Sicilia (1963).
The sources of information used include the personal knowledge of the author based on observation and study of the principal collections in the United States and considerable travel abroad, the literature of the past four decades, and personal communications from horticulturists in many parts of the citricultural world.
The horticultural classification employed in the sections that follow is that of the author and is outlined at the beginning of the chapter. Obviously, it is both arbitrary and empirical in considerable degree and hence subject to valid differences of opinion. Since the classification is based primarily on resemblance, it has seemed best to place the known and presumed hybrid varieties in those groups they most resemble, irrespective of parentage, known or presumed. In some cases, resemblances are so tenuous that classification is difficult and provisional, and in others lack of information may prove responsible for errors.
For the most part, the botanical nomenclature used is that of Tanaka (1954), whose system though excessively detailed is much more comprehensive than the rigidly restricted classification of Swingle (1943) and hence, in the opinion of the writer, more useful. However, the use of Tanaka's binomials is primarily for the convenience of the reader and should not be interpreted as an unqualified acceptance or endorsement of his classification in toto. Indeed; on the basis of the natural groups and horticultural varieties with which the writer is personally acquainted he cannot accept a number of the species in question. Moreover, he frankly disclaims competence to pass judgment on many others. It is his general conclusion, however, that these two classification systems represent extremes and that somewhere between them there will ultimately emerge a more supportable and generally acceptable system of botanical classification and nomenclature.
With the exception of those varieties whose origin is unknown, such as the Valencia orange, or which are widespread under names given elsewhere than in their country of origin, such as the Washington navel orange, the names used are those employed in the respective countries of origin or their English equivalents. The principal synonyms are given in parentheses. Insofar as practicable, the varieties described in the following sections are presented in two groups for each fruit: major and minor. Major varieties are those currently of principal economic importance or which because of their promise seem likely to become so. Minor varieties are those currently of comparatively little importance or primarily of historical or other interest. Within each group, the varieties are listed in alphabetical order.
The sweet orange is dominant in the citricultural world, since, with the exception of the Orient where the mandarin is preferred, no other citrus fruit is so universally liked and used. It is much more widely distributed and grown than any other and currently comprises about two-thirds of the total world production of citrus fruits, which in 1965 was almost 600 million 70-pound box equivalents, and is increasing rapidly. The United States was much the largest producer of oranges with approximately 121 million boxes followed by Spain (55 million), Brazil and Italy (24 and 37 million, respectively), Mexico and Argentina (24 and 20 million, respectively), Israel (23 million), and Morocco and South Africa (16 and 15 million, respectively). Six other widely-distributed countries produce 5 million to 10 million boxes annually and eleven others a million boxes or more. The remaining citrus fruits are produced by about two dozen other widely distributed countries. Moreover, both planting and production will certainly increase during the coming decades. As this chapter went to press in 1967, the Florida orange crop alone was estimated at 143 million boxes.
With the exception of the mandarin and bitter or sour orange, the sweet orange tree is the hardiest of the citrus fruits of commercial importance. The mandarin fruit is much more susceptible to frost injury, however.
In most parts of the world, the sweet orange is still used primarily as a fresh fruit for eating out-of-hand or serving as a dessert. In the United States, however, and increasingly so elsewhere, the principal use now is for the juice, which is extracted and served fresh or preserved by chilling, pasteurization, and concentration (see chap. 2, p. 47 [text version, Revised Ed.]). The single-strength canned juice now available is a reasonably satisfactory substitute for freshly expressed juice and keeps relatively well. Much the best product, however, in that it is acceptable as a substitute to all but the most discriminating palates, is the frozen juice concentrated under vacuum, which of course, requires freezing storage. The consumer acceptance of this product has been phenomenal, and much the greater part of the Florida production is now utilized in this form. The use of oranges for juicing, enhanced by the spectacular success of frozen concentrate, has materially increased the consumption of oranges in the United States and brought about greatly increased production in Florida.
Valuable byproducts are also obtained from the rind of fruit sent to processing plants for juicing. Principal byproducts are essential oil, pectin, and cattlefeed.
The sweet oranges naturally fall into four kinds: the common oranges, acidless oranges, pigmented oranges, and navel oranges. They may also be distinguished on the basis of season of maturity as early, midseason, and late. In some of these groups, possibly all, there are variegated varieties of local importance as ornamentals, such as the dwarf variety Fuya Menuda.
These comprise the ordinary or common oranges which in the Mediterranean basin are referred to as the white or blond orange (blanca of Spain, biondo of Italy, blonde of France) to distinguish them from the pigmented or blood orange. The characteristics of the common oranges are so well known as scarcely to require comment. Indeed, the distinctive color—a combination of red and yellow—has for centuries been used as the common name of this fruit, in which connection it may be of interest to note that yellow-fruited orange varieties have long been known (such as the Prata of Spain and Tenerife of the Canary Islands).
In most of the older orange-producing countries, there still remains a considerable production of sweet oranges from seedling clones grown either as seedlings or budded trees. In Spain and Italy, these are usually referred to as comuna or comune (Biondo di Spina or di Arrudi), respectively, and in Florida as Florida Common. In North Africa and the Near East, they are called beladi or beledi (various spellings), bizri (when grown as seedlings), and Bordugal (Portugal). They are known as criolla in Argentina and Uruguay, caipira in Brazil, and corriente in Mexico. And finally, in South Africa and Australia, they are called Cape Seedlings and Paramatta Seedlings, respectively.
In general, the seedling clone trees are vigorous, large, somewhat thorny, productive, and long-lived, but the fruit is commonly coarser in texture and seedier than most named varieties. With minor exceptions, the propagation and planting of these seedling clones has been abandoned in favor of better, named varieties. It must be remarked, however, that under certain conditions these seedling clones are sometimes more profitable than the named varieties available and hence will continue to be used. So long as they remain profitable, there is little incentive for growers to replace such orchards.
As might be expected, the common sweet oranges are the most widely grown and commercially the most important of the four kinds of sweet oranges. There is reason to believe that they constitute about two-thirds of total orange production.
They are not only the oldest, largest, and most extensively cultivated kind of sweet oranges, but they include more varieties than any other.
Major Common Orange Varieties.—Descriptions are presented below of those common orange varieties grown on an extensive scale, increasing in importance, or which the author believes have qualities of major significance.
Barão
Fruit medium-small, ovoid to oblong; base with occasional radial furrows; seeds comparatively few. Rind medium-thick and surface smooth. Color deep orange when ripe. Flesh well-colored; coarse, firm in texture; juice content below average; flavor rich and sweet. Medium early in maturity.
Tree vigorous, upright, medium-large; foliage dense; very productive.
This Brazilian variety (Moreira and Filha, 1963) is of unknown origin, presumably a chance seedling, and does not meet the requirements of the processing industry or export trade. It is said to be much appreciated by the Brazilian populace.
Bedmar
See under Berna.
Belladonna
Fruit medium-large, oblong to oval; base commonly with small, slightly furrowed basin; areole faint or lacking; seeds few or none. Color deep orange at maturity. Rind medium-thick, tightly adherent as are also the segments; surface finely to coarsely pebbled. Flesh moderately juicy and flavor pleasant. Early midseason in maturity, but holds well on tree for several months. Stores and ships well.
Tree vigorous, medium to large, symmetrical, and productive.
An old Italian variety of unknown origin, Belladonna is widely grown in Italy and ranks second there only to Calabrese.
According to Casella (1935a), the fruits of Belladonna and Calabrese have close resemblances, but the former averages larger, is better colored, and has a thicker and somewhat coarser rind. The season is altogether different as are also the trees. Both varieties are of excellent quality.
Berna (Bernia, Verna, Vernia, Verda, Bedmar) (fig. 4-3)
Fruit medium-small, oval to ellipsoid; base commonly with faint radial furrows; apex slightly depressed; seeds few or none. Well-colored at full maturity, but regreens thereafter. Rind medium-thick, firm; surface finely pebbled. Flesh well-colored; moderately juicy; flavor sweet. Fruit holds especially well on tree with good quality and ships well. Late in maturity, but earlier than Calabrese of Italy and Valencia.
Tree slow-growing, compact, medium-small in size, and slow to bear but productive. Somewhat inclined to out-of-season flowering and production of worthless off-season fruits. Usually has a few long and narrow leaves.
This distinctive variety is of Spanish origin but is grown also in Morocco and Algeria. It is one of the latest maturing of all Mediterranean varieties and holds on the trees as well as Valencia or better but is smaller and of poorer quality.
Several clones of the Berna are recognized, one of which is characterized by greater tree vigor and round fruit of higher juice content. A selection named Alberola is said to be of superior quality. A highly similar, if not identical, variety is Peret.
Biondo Comune (Nostrale Liscio)
Fruit medium to medium-large, subglobose to round; basal cavity small and deeply furrowed; apex flattened or slightly depressed; seedy. Color yellowish-orange at maturity. Rind medium-thick and surface finely to moderately pebbled. Flesh very juicy and flavor pleasant when fully mature. Medium early in maturity, but holds well on tree and ships well.
Tree vigorous, hardy, large, and productive.
One of the oldest Italian varieties and of unknown origin, Biondo Comune has been little planted in recent decades and doubtless will ultimately disappear. It still comprises the bulk of production of common sweet oranges in some of the oldest Italian districts.
Biondo Riccio
Fruit large, globose; base slightly flattened and deeply furrowed; apex slightly depressed; seedy. Well-colored at maturity. Rind medium-thick and surface coarsely pebbled and somewhat rough. Flesh juicy and flavor pleasant when fully ripe. Medium early in maturity and ships reasonably well.
Tree moderately vigorous, highly productive, and hardy.
Another very old Italian variety of unknown origin, Bionao Riccio has not been planted for years but is still important in some of the oldest Italian districts.
Biondo di Spina
See under common oranges.
Cadenera (Cadena Fina, Cadena sin Jueso, Orero, Valence san Pepins, Precoce de Valence, Precoce des Canaries) (fig. 4-4)
Fruit medium-sized, globose to slightly oval; apex somewhat depressed; areole ring faint or lacking; seeds few or none. Moderately well-colored. Rind medium-thin and surface smooth to finely pebbled. Flesh very juicy and flavor and aroma excellent. Holds well on tree and retains quality. Medium-early in maturity (preceded by Salustiana and Hamlin).
Tree vigorous, hardy, large, and productive.
Of Spanish origin, presumably a chance seedling, Cadenera appears to be the most important variety in Spain, its production being exceeded only by only by comuna, which, as noted earlier, consists of a group of unnamed similar or identical seedling clones. It is important also in Morocco and Algeria and hence ranks high among major orange varieties. Because of its excellent quality, it is well and favorably known in European markets.
Cornice appears to be a selection of Cadenera (Chapot, 1948) but Cadena Punchosa is an inferior variety no longer being planted.
Calabrese (Ovale) (fig. 4-5)
Fruit medium-large, oval; base commonly with low, narrow, slightly furrowed collar; areole faint or lacking; seeds few or none. Well-colored at maturity, but regreens if held on the tree long thereafter. Rind medium-thick, very tightly adherent; surface finely pebbled. Flesh juicy and well flavored at maturity. Holds especially well on tree with little loss in quality and stores and ships well. Late in maturity (the latest of Italian varieties and approaching Valencia).
Tree of good vigor and size, slow growing, somewhat irregular in form; leaves light-green and of somewhat distinctive color and appearance. Pronounced tendency to produce out-of-season bloom and fruit. Sensitive to cold, heat, and desert winds, but productive under favorable conditions.
Calabrese is the preferred name to distinguish this important variety from others of oval form.
Of unknown origin, this old Italian variety is widely grown and for decades has ranked as first in importance among common sweet orange varieties in Italy, a position it seems destined to maintain because of its many excellent features.
California Mediterranean Sweet
See under Maltaise Oval.
Castellana
Fruit medium-sized, subglobose to spherical; moderately seedy. Color light orange. Rind medium-thin and surface somewhat granular. Flesh color pale; juice abundant, low in acidity; flavor sweet. Holds on tree moderately well but loses quality. Medium early in maturity.
Castellana is said to be the principal variety in the Almería Province of Spain where it matures earlier than elsewhere. It is no longer being planted, however.
Clanor (Clanwilliam, Clan William)
Fruit medium-large, globose to oblong; seeds relatively few. Rind medium-thin, tough, leathery; surface moderately pebbled. Flesh melting, juicy; flavor good. Late midseason in maturity.
Tree vigorous, upright in growth habit; foliage dense; a regular and heavy bearer.
This South African variety from western Cape Province traces back to two apparently identical trees in the 30-year-old William van Wyk orchard of the Kanolvlei farm that had been layered from old Clanwilliam seedling orange trees on the Rondegat farm. The selection was made by P. Nortier of Clanwilliam in 1930. Clanor has gained rapidly in popularity and currently is recommended as one of the best midseason varieties for planting in South Africa.
Clanwilliam
See under Clanor above.
Garey's Mediterranean Sweet
See under Pope.
Glen Summer
See under Pope.
Hamlin (Norris) (fig. 4-6).
Fruit medium-small, globose to slightly oblate; sometimes with low radially furrowed collar and faint areolar ring; seeds very few or none. Well-colored at maturity (one of the best in Florida). Rind thin, with smooth, finely pitted surface. Flesh well-colored; tender, juicy, lacking in acid; flavor sweet. One of the earliest to mature.
Tree moderately vigorous, medium-large, productive, and more cold-tolerant than most.
The Hamlin variety originated as a chance seedling in an orchard near Glenwood, Florida, which was planted in 1879, and was named for the owner, A. G. Hamlin, at the time its value was recognized some years later. It came into prominence following the great Florida freeze of 1894-95 as a rival of Parson, the only other variety of similar early maturity, and has gradually replaced it. Currently, it is a major variety in Florida, of considerable importance as an export variety in Brazil, of limited importance in South Africa and elsewhere, and possibly the world's principal variety of very early maturing common sweet orange.
In semitropical climates characterized by high heat and humidity, this variety produces fruit of satisfactory size for marketing fresh, although the eating quality is generally somewhat disappointing. In arid, subtropical climates, fruit size is commonly smaller than desirable though the quality may be satisfactory.
Hart's Tardiff
See under Valencia.
Hitmali
See under Khettmali.
Homosassa
Fruit medium-sized, subglobose to ellipsoid; base evenly rounded to slightly collared and basal area somewhat furrowed; apex evenly rounded; areolar furrow indistinct or lacking; moderately seedy. Well-colored at maturity. Rind medium-thick, smooth, and finely pitted. Flesh medium-tender, juicy; flavor good. Midseason in maturity.
Tree vigorous, large, productive, and hardy.
According to Webber (1943), Homosassa is one of the oldest Florida varieties, having originated as a seedling selection in the orchard of a Mr. Yulee at Homosassa. The selection must have been planted not later than 1865, for in 1877 the Variety Committee of the American Pomological Society recommended it as a first-class variety. It was extensively planted for some decades, and there are old orchards still in existence. Like certain other Florida varieties, however, Homosassa is of indifferent quality in arid climates and has not achieved commercial importance elsewhere.
Jaffa (Florida Jaffa)
Fruit medium-sized, globose to slightly ellipsoid or obovate; basal end commonly collared and with radial furrows; areole inconspicuous or absent; seeds comparatively few. Well-colored under favorable conditions. Rind medium-thick, finely pitted, and moderately pebbled. Flesh color light orange; medium-tender, juicy; flavor good. Stores poorly on tree, but ships rather well. Midseason in maturity.
Tree vigorous, upright, medium-large; foliage dense; cold-resistant; moderately productive, but with alternate bearing tendency.
In the literature and otherwise, this variety has sometimes been confused with Shamouti or Palestine Jaffa, the principal variety of Palestine and Israel, which it resembles only slightly. On the other hand, it somewhat resembles Joppa. Almost certainly both Jaffa and Joppa are clones of the Palestine beledi seeding group. Jaffa was introduced into Florida by H. S. Sanford about 1883, whether as budwood or seeds is not known, but presumably the latter. Joppa was named about 1877 in California as a seedling from seeds obtained in Joppa, Palestine. In this general connection, it is of interest to note that Shamouti is considered to have originated as a limb sport in a Palestinian beledi tree.
Because of its comparatively low seed content, cold resistance, and good quality, Jaffa early became popular in Florida and attained the status of a major midseason variety. The greater productivity and superior quality of Pineapple, however, soon caused it to lose favor, although Jaffa still remains important there and to some extent elsewhere. For processing, however, Jaffa's susceptibility to Alternaria blossom-end infection is a further cause for its decline in popularity in Florida.
Joppa
Fruit medium-sized, globose to slightly oblong; seeds comparatively few. Well-colored under favorable conditions. Rind medium-thin and slightly pebbled. Flesh color light orange; medium-tender, juicy; flavor rich. Midseason in maturity.
Tree vigorous, upright, with rather stiff thornless branches and stout branchlets; precocious, and prolific.
This variety, not to be confused with the Jaffa above, originated in 1877 from seed imported from Joppa, Palestine, by A. B. Chapman of San Gabriel, California. It never attained commercial importance in California or in Florida, where it was early introduced, but it was popular for some decades in South Africa and still has limited importance in Texas.
In comparison with Jaffa, the fruit averages smaller and is less oblong, the rind texture is finer, and the season of maturity is earlier. The tree is more upright, has thicker branchlets, and is more precocious. In general appearance, Joppa resembles Shamouti more than Jaffa. In South Africa, it is reported (Marloth and Basson, 1955) that on rough lemon rootstock Jaffa and its seedlings exhibit budunion "crease" whereas Joppa and its derivatives do not. Addorosa is a local synonym in South Africa. The Fukuhara variety of Japan is considered to be a bud variation of Joppa.
Khalily White
See under Shamouti Masry.
Khettmali (Khatmali, Hitmali)
Fruit medium-large, round to somewhat oblong; areolar ridge usually well-developed (from which the name is derived); seeds very few. Well-colored at maturity. Rind medium-thin, tough, leathery; surface moderately pebbled; peels readily. Flesh moderately firm, very juicy; flavor excellent. Holds well on tree. Midseason in maturity, but later than Shamouti.
Tree vigorous and consistently productive.
This variety appears to have originated in Lebanon, where it is highly regarded and second only in importance to Shamouti. From the description, it is clear that Hitmali of Israel and Khettmali are identical.
Macetera
Fruit medium-sized, subglobose to globose; apex slightly depressed; seeds few. Rind very thin, smooth, and finely pebbled. Color pale. Flesh tender, juicy, and with special flavor and fragrance. Fruit holds well on tree, but sensitive to frost. Midseason in maturity.
Tree robust, large-sized, and somewhat thorny. A regular and good bearer.
This high-quality, old Spanish variety is said to be increasing in importance, especially in Alicante Province, but its thin rind and juiciness make it a poor shipper and keeper. It is considered excellent for processing.
Malta (Malta Common)
Malta is a seedy, midseason orange of good color and flavor, but without distinctive characteristics, which is widely grown in the Punjab region of India and West Pakistan. The trees are vigorous and productive.
It is similar to and indistinguishable from beladi of the Near East and North Africa and comuna of Spain and Italy and doubtless was introduced from the Mediterranean.
Maltaise Blonde (Maltaise, Petite Jaffa, Portugaise Blonde)
Fruit medium-large, oval; seeds very few or none. Moderately well-colored at maturity. Rind medium-thick, leathery; surface smooth and finely pebbled; peels easily. Flesh moderately well-colored; juicy; flavor mild. Does not hold well on tree, but if properly handled stores and ships well. Midseason in maturity.
Tree vigorous and characterized by open growth habit, thick branchlets, and large, broad leaves. Low in productivity.
Both the tree and fruit resemble Shamouti (Palestine Jaffa) and it is evident that they are closely related. Markedly similar also is Shamouti Masry (Khalily White) of Egypt, which is believed to have originated as a limb sport of Shamouti.
The Maltaise Blonde variety, of unknown origin, is of limited importance in North Africa except in Tunisia, where it is popular and grown commercially.
Maltaise Ovale (Maltese Oval, Garey's or California Mediterranean Sweet)
Fruit medium-sized, spherical to oval; basal collar radially furrowed; seeds relatively few. Color pale at maturity and some tendency to regreen. Rind medium-thick; surface somewhat pebbled; peels readily. Flesh pale-colored; moderately juicy; flavor mild. Medium-late in maturity.
Tree vigorous, large, spreading, and drooping; leaves long, narrow, somewhat rumpled, and of paler color than most. Distinctive in appearance.
This is an old Mediterranean variety of unknown origin which was introduced into California about 1870 by T. A. Garey, a pioneer citrus nurseryman of Los Angeles, and distributed under the name Mediterranean Sweet. At about the same time, it was brought to Florida and distributed under the name Maltese Oval. It is not the same, however, as the midseason variety introduced into Florida a few years later and distributed as Mediterranean Sweet.
Under its California name, this variety soon became important as a midseason variety, maturing between the superior Washington navel and Valencia oranges. With the expansion of the California industry into areas of different periods of maturity, overlapping production of these two varieties resulted. As a consequence, Mediterranean Sweet rapidly lost favor and was replaced. In the meantime, it was introduced into South Africa where it still retains some importance as a midseason variety, although it is no longer planted.
Two clones are recognized in California which differ only in fruit form, one being prevailingly round and the other oblong to oval.
Marrs (Marrs Early)
Fruit medium-large, round to slightly oblate; moderately seedy (depending on pollination). Well-colored under favorable conditions. Rind medium-thick, and surface smooth and finely pitted. Flesh well-colored; juicy, lacking in acid; flavor sweet. Holds well on tree with little loss in quality. Earliest in legal maturity because of low acidity, but for better juice content and quality should be left on tree somewhat later.
Tree moderately vigorous, precocious, and prolific. Marked tendency to bear fruit in clusters. Smaller than most other varieties, presumably because of early and heavy bearing.
According to Waibel (1953), this variety was found in 1927 on the place of O. F. Marrs, Donna, Texas, where it is said to have occurred as a limb sport in a group of navel orange trees obtained from California. Although propagated to a limited extent earlier, trees were not available for commercial planting until 1940.
Because of its early and heavy bearing and good fruit size, Marrs is currently a popular early maturing variety in Texas. Its principal fault for processing is the low acidity of the juice.
Mediterranean Sweet
See under Maltaise Ovale.
Mosambi (Mosambique)
Fruit medium-large, slightly oblate to globose or broadly obovoid; areolar ring regularly shallow; moderately seedy. Color light yellow to pale orange at maturity. Rind medium-thick; surface moderately to roughly pebbled, and faintly striped with narrow, longitudinal grooves and ridges. Flesh color straw-yellow; somewhat firm, juicy; flavor insipid because of very low acidity. Early in maturity.
This very distinctive variety is of unknown origin, but the name, of which there are numerous spellings, suggests that it was taken from Mozambique, East Africa, to India, presumably by the Portuguese. The brown color of the chalazal spot indicates that it does not belong to the sugar orange group, as some have assumed, but that it is a low acid orange, the acidity of which is further reduced by the Indian climate and the rough lemon rootstock on which it is grown.
Mosambi is highly popular in central India and is probably the most important orange variety of that country. According to Gandhi (1956), it is grown principally in the Bombay Deccan where total plantings were reported to be about 20,000 acres.
Mosambique
See under Mosambi above.
Natal
Fruit medium-sized, globose to broadly obovoid; seeds very few. Rind medium-thin and surface moderately pebbled. Color pale yellowish-orange. Flesh pale-colored; tender, fine-textured, very juicy; flavor rich at full maturity because of high acidity. Shipping quality good. Very late in maturity.
Tree vigorous, large, and productive.
Of unknown origin, this Brazilian variety is said to markedly resemble Valencia in both fruit and tree characters.
Norris
See under Hamlin.
Nostrale Liscio
See under Biondo Comune.
Orero
See under Cadenera.
Parson (Parson Brown)
Fruit medium-large, globose; base with short, radial furrows; areole indistinct; moderately seedy. Well-colored under favorable conditions. Rind medium-thick; surface finely pitted and moderately pebbled. Flesh color dull orange; firm, juicy; well-flavored. Very early in maturity, possibly the earliest.
Tree vigorous, large, and productive.
Parson originated as a chance seedling in the dooryard of Rev. N. L. Brown near Webster, Florida, and is said to have been planted in 1856 (Ziegler and Wolfe, 1961). The propagation rights were purchased about 1875 by J. L. Carney, who named it Parson Brown. Its outstanding earliness soon popularized this variety and it quickly became the leading early orange, a position held until about 1920. Parson still remains a major variety in Florida, however, though it has never achieved prominence elsewhere, principally because of seediness.
Pera (fig. 4-7)
Fruit medium-small, ovoid to ellipsoid; seeds very few. Rind medium-thin; surface smooth and finely pitted. Color light orange at maturity. Flesh well-colored; firm, fine textured, juicy; flavor rich. Late in maturity. Holds well on tree without deterioration in quality, and stores and ships well.
Tree vigorous, upright; foliage dense, with many leaves of which the petioles are unevenly winged; very productive.
Moreira and Filha (1963) and other Brazilian horticulturists have expressed the opinion that the Pera variety is probably the same as Lamb Summer of Florida. If so, it originated as a seedling in Volusia County sometime prior to 1897, when it was first described and named for the owner. It never attained much importance in Florida. Several clones are recognized of this variety in Brazil, including Perão, a light-bearing tree with fruit which is large and resembles Shamouti. A. A. Salibe has called attention to the resemblance between Pera and the Berna variety of Spain.2
Introduced into Brazil at an early date, Pera has long been the principal variety as well as the most important late export variety. It constitutes nearly three-fourths of the commercial acreage in the region of Rio de Janeiro and slightly more than a third of the commercial acreage in São Paulo State.
Petite Jaffa
See under Maltaise Blonde.
Pineapple
Fruit medium-sized, spherical to slightly obovate; basal area sometimes depressed and radially furrowed; commonly with faint areolar ring; moderately seedy. Well-colored (one of the best in Florida). Rind medium-thick; surface finely pitted and slightly pebbled. Flesh color light orange; tender, juicy; flavor rich though sweet. Midseason in maturity. Does not hold on tree as well as some, but excellent for processing.
Tree moderately vigorous, medium-large, thornless, and highly productive. More sensitive to frost than most.
The Pineapple originated as a seedling on the place of J. B. Owens at Sparr, near Citra, Florida, and is said to have come from seed planted soon after 1860 (Ziegler and Wolfe, 1961). It was first propagated by P. P. Bishop at Citra about 1873 under the name of Hickory and some ten years later was renamed Pineapple because of its delicate fragrance. Its attractiveness, fine flavor, and good market reception brought about some increase in use, but it was not until after the 1894-95 freeze, which necessitated extensive replanting, that its popularity developed. It soon became the principal midseason variety and has remained so ever since. It is a major variety in Florida and of considerable though decreasing importance in Brazil and South Africa. Of increasing popularity in Florida is the Queen variety, which may have originated as a Pineapple seedling. Two virtually seedless limb sports have been found—Seedless Pineapple, discovered in 1932 on Merritt Island, Florida (U.S. Plant Patent 477), and more recently (1948) a variety named Plaquemines, which originated as a limb sport in Louisiana. Varieties that are considered to be derivatives in South Africa include Belvedere, which is indistinguishable from Pineapple, and Gem and Letaba, both of which are less seedy and earlier in maturity. A seedling clone that exhibits resistance to the burrowing nematode in Florida has recently been named Ridge Pineapple.
Pope (Pope Summer, Glen Summer)
Pope is a variety so similar to Valencia that they are indistinguishable, and its origin suggests that it probably should be regarded as a selection of Valencia rather than a variety. According to Ziegler and Wolfe (1961), it traces back to an outstanding budded tree that was found by F. W. Pope about 1916 in a 40-acre planting of the Pineapple variety near Lakeland, Florida. It was so late in maturity and held the fruit so well without loss in quality that Pope undertook its commercial propagation in 1935 and had the name trademarked in 1938. Since 1945 its propagation and promotion have been conducted by Pope Summer Orange Nursery, Ltd., though the same variety is reported (Ziegler and Wolfe, 1961) to be propagated by the Glen St. Mary Nurseries Company under the name Glen Summer. It has been planted to a considerable extent in the Indian River district of Florida.
Portugaise Blonde
See under Maltaise Blonde.
Precoce des Canaries
See under Cadenera.
Precoce de Valence
See under Cadenera.
Premier
Fruit medium-small, globose; seeds relatively few. Rind medium-thick and surface moderately coarse. Flesh very juicy and flavor good. Early midseason in maturity.
Tree moderately vigorous, of irregular, upright growth habit; medium-sized; very productive.
Of unknown parentage, Premier is a selection of the Joppa type introduced about 1935 by the late Professor H. Clark Powell, of the University of Pretoria, from the Mazoe Citrus Estates, Umtali, Southern Rhodesia. Montrose Premier is indistinguishable and apparently represents a clonal selection. The so-called Orange Premier is an entirely unrelated clone of the Jaffa type that is subject to the budunion crease disease and should be discarded. Premier has proven to be popular and is currently the most important midseason variety in the Lowveld areas of Transvaal, South Africa. It also is grown extensively in Southern Rhodesia.
Queen
The Queen was originally named King, but later the name was changed to avoid confusion with the old King mandarin variety. This is a midseason variety with fruit much like the Pineapple orange. It is less pronounced reddish-orange in color, higher in soluble solids and hence richer in flavor, somewhat less seedy, and holds better on the tree.
The tree is more vigorous than Pineapple, equally productive, and somewhat more resistant to cold.
According to Ziegler and Wolfe (1961), this variety originated as a seedling in an old orchard on Lake Hancock, near Bartow, Florida, and came to notice prior to 1900 at which time budwood was obtained by a Mr. Walters from a Mr. King, a son-in-law of the owner. It was used to propagate trees for the Perrin and Thompson Groves near Winter Haven, the owners of which gave it the name King. Its commercialization was undertaken by the Lake Garfield Nurseries of Bartow about 1915 under the present name. For some decades it did not receive much attention, but its popularity has increased appreciably in recent years.
Salustiana (Salus) (fig. 4-8)
Fruit medium-large, subglobose to spherical; basal cavity shallow with faint radial furrows; apex depressed; areolar ring small but well-marked in many cases; virtually seedless. Unusually well-colored at maturity. Rind medium-thick and surface moderately pebbled. Flesh melting, juicy; flavor rich and sweet. Fruit said to hold especially well on tree without much loss of quality. Early in maturity (earliest of the Spanish varieties).
Tree vigorous, somewhat upright, medium-large, and productive.
This comparatively new Spanish variety is believed to have originated as a limb sport on a comuna tree in the garden of a convent. It was called to the attention of Don Salustiano Pallas of nearby Enova, Valencia, and propagated and introduced by him about 1950 (Gonzalez-Sicilia, 1963). Because of its early maturity, seedlessness, and quality, it is regarded as highly promising and has been planted to a considerable extent in Spain in recent years and somewhat in Algeria and Morocco.
According to Chapot and Huet (1963), who have reported on the characteristics of this variety in North Africa, both tree and fruit are indistinguishable from Cadenera, except that the latter is somewhat flatter in form. Salustiana is much earlier in maturity, however.
Sathgudi
Fruit medium to large, globose; moderately seedy. Color greenish-yellow to pale orange at maturity. Rind medium-thick, tough, leathery; surface finely pitted and moderately pebbled; peels readily. Carpellary membranes thick and tough; flesh orange-colored; juicy; flavor fair (sweet with some acid). Midseason in maturity insofar as can be determined.
Tree vigorous and moderately productive. Commonly seed-propagated.
The origin of Sathgudi is unknown, but probably relates to a village or community. However, one of its local names in southeast India suggests that it may have come from Batavia, Indonesia. For many years it has been the principal variety in southern India.
Seleta (Selecta, Siletta)
Fruit medium-sized, subglobose to spherical; basal area sometimes with radiating furrows; apex rounded or slightly flattened; areole usually distinct; seeds few. Rind medium-thick; surface smooth to slightly pebbled; color light orange. Tendency to color in advance of maturity, while still acid. Flesh juicy; flavor somewhat acid until full maturity, when it becomes sprightly and readily acceptable. Fruit does not hold well on tree after maturity, dropping freely. Late midseason in maturity though coloring early.
Tree moderately vigorous, medium-sized, and regularly productive. A tendency to give rise to bud variations has been noted in California (Webber, 1943, p. 516) and Australia.3
The origin of Seleta is unknown, but it seems likely that it is an old Portuguese variety, for in 1925 it was listed among those currently grown there (Bobone, 1938) and the synonym employed, Lusitana, referred to the ancient Roman provincial name for Portugal. Presumably taken to Brazil at an early date, it is the variety from which the Bahia or Washington navel orange is supposed to have originated (Dorsett, Shamel, and Popenoe, 1917), although to the writer this seems improbable. According to Moreira and Filha (1963), it is still of commercial importance in Brazil, where several clonal selections are currently popular—Abacaxi, Amarela, Branca, Itaborai, and Vermelha. It seems likely that this variety is the Siletta of Australia as the Sydney Gazette of April 22, 1824 (Bowman, 1955) lists Celeta and Bahia oranges among recently introduced citrus varieties. It early achieved commercial importance in Australia, which continued until about 1920. Since that time it has been infrequently planted and only for juice purposes.
Two clones have long been recognized in Australia—White Siletta, which corresponds to the description given here, and Red Siletta, so-named because of its deeper color. The Red Siletta is presumably of local though unknown origin. The first-mentioned clone is that which achieved principal importance. The fruit of the latter is coarser in rind texture and somewhat lower in quality; the tree is more vigorous and larger.
Shamouti (Chamouti, Palestine Jaffa, Jaffa, Jaffaoui, Iaffaoui). (fig. 4-9)
Fruit medium-large to large, oval to ellipsoid; basal end slightly flattened or depressed with narrow and low collar or shoulder, commonly with short radial furrows; apical end evenly rounded; areolar ring usually present but faint. Seedless or nearly so and well-colored under favorable conditions. Rind thick, tough, and leathery; surface finely pitted but relatively smooth; inconspicuous oil glands. Flesh color light orange; firm, tender, juicy; fragrant and pleasantly sweet-flavored. Fruit peels and segments separate readily. Ships and stores unusually well, but does not process well. Midseason in maturity.
Tree moderately vigorous, distinctive in appearance, upright in growth habit, with thick, thornless branchlets; leaves large and broad, with petioles which are small and narrowly winged. On Palestine sweet lime rootstock, tree is somewhat dwarfed, probably because of xyloporosis infection, but is regular and highly productive, whereas tree is larger on sour orange but less productive because of pronounced alternation.
While Shamouti, of which there are various other spellings, is the preferred name for this distinctive and highly important variety, it is so well and favorably known in Europe under the name Jaffa that it is now impracticable, as well as undesirable, to undertake to change this usage. There is another, quite different variety of the same name and parentage, however, frequently called Florida Jaffa to distinguish between them (see Jaffa).
Like the navel oranges in general, the Shamouti tree is sensitive to heat and aridity during the bloom and hence restricted in range of climatic adaptation. Thus, in very hot, arid regions production is low and the fruits are undesirably large and coarse. Shamouti is clearly not adapted to hot desert or semitropical climates. For reasons that are not clear, probably relating to both climate and rootstock, the commercial culture of this variety is restricted to climatically favored portions of the eastern end of the Mediterranean basin.
According to Oppenheim (1927, 1929), Shamouti originated some time prior to 1844 in an orchard near Jaffa, Palestine (now Israel), presumably as a limb sport in a tree of the local or beledi variety (see also under Jaffa). Its qualities were so outstanding that within a few decades it became the leading variety in Palestine and has maintained this position ever since. It spread to nearby countries and attained importance, notably in Lebanon, Turkey, and Cyprus. It was early exported to Europe, principally England, where it soon established a reputation for its size, quality, and seedlessness. Its distinctive shape provided a natural trademark. Currently, Shamouti is by far the principal variety of the Near East and one of the major varieties of the world. In addition to the countries already mentioned, it is the leading variety in Syria and is grown to some extent in Greece and Egypt. The 1965 production of this variety was estimated at not less than 20 million boxes.
Although efforts were made early to establish this highly reputed variety in both California and Florida, the seed introduced apparently came from fruits of the seedy parent variety rather than the almost seedless Shamouti and gave rise to the Florida Jaffa and Joppa varieties (see Jaffa and Joppa). This fact was not realized for many years, and it was not until about 1920 that the true Palestine Jaffa (Shamouti) was introduced. Thus far, it has not compared favorably in quality and productivity with other varieties.
The evidence indicates that the Shamouti clone is highly unstable and prone to the occurrence of limb sports. Thus, Oppenheim (1927, 1929) and Chapot (1964c) report numerous instances of Shamouti trees containing branches that produce round, seedy fruits typical of beledi, and a few cases have been reported of beledi trees with Shamouti-like limb sports. Chapot (1954, 1955b) reports the existence of four varieties in Lebanon, the names of which clearly suggest the likelihood of Shamouti origin. They are Shamouti or Iaffaoui Beledi, a seedy Shamouti; Shamouti or Iaffaoui Maouardi, a seedless blood Shamouti; Maouardi Beledi, a seedy, blood Shamouti; and Shamouti or Iaffaoui Moghrabi or Meski, an acidless, seedy Shamouti. Other varieties which markedly resemble Shamouti and are known to have originated from it include Kinariti or Kinnereth (Early Shamouti) and the pink-fleshed Sarah of Israel and Shamouti Masry (Egyptian Shamouti or Khalily White). (See Shamouti Masry, below.) Finally, it should be noted that Maltaise Blonde of North Africa, sometimes called Petite Jaffa, and Barile of Italy closely resemble Shamouti though their fruit is somewhat smaller (see Maltaise Blonde).
Shamouti Masry (Khalily White, Egyptian Shamouti)
Fruit medium-large, ellipsoid to oval; seeds few or none. Color orange to deep orange. Rind medium-thick; surface finely pitted and relatively smooth; peels readily. Flesh well-colored; juicy; flavor rich and sweet. Midseason in maturity. Indistinguishable from Shamouti.
Tree moderately vigorous; leaves large; Shamouti-like in appearance; productive.
This variety is said to have originated in the orchard of Moustafa Khalili in Kalioubiyah Province, Egypt; whether it occurred as a seedling or limb sport is not reported. It is preferred to Shamouti because the tree is more productive and the fruit somewhat smaller and of finer texture. From descriptions it is evident that this variety and Maltaise Blonde or Petite Jaffa of North Africa are very much alike.
Tomango
See under Pigmented Oranges.
Valence san Pepins
See under Cadenera.
Valencia (Valencia Late, Hart Late, Hart's Tardiff) (fig. 4-10)
Fruit medium-large, oblong to spherical; areole ring faint or lacking; seeds few or none. Well-colored at maturity, but regreens thereafter under certain conditions. Rind medium-thick, tough, and leathery; surface smooth to faintly pebbled. Juice abundant and flavor good but commonly somewhat acid. Fruit holds exceptionally well on tree with little deterioration in quality and ships and stores well. Excellent for processing. Latest maturing of all commercial varieties.
Tree vigorous, somewhat upright, large and prolific, but with alternate-bearing tendency. Very wide range of adaptation.
This variety should not be confused with the Spanish Valencia Temprana and various seedling clones grown in the region of Valencia, Spain.
The total heat requirement for maturity of the Valencia orange is so high that only in the hottest regions is it satisfied prior to the succeeding bloom. In the United States, this usually occurs in Florida, the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and the low elevation desert areas of Arizona and California, where legal maturity is normally attained in January or February, though the fruit may be stored on the trees for several months thereafter, extending into or through the succeeding period of bloom. In regions of lower total heat, however, maturity is later and overlaps the bloom, sometimes by several months. As a consequence, in most regions where this variety is grown the trees normally carry two crops—the old, which is ripe or reasonably close to maturity, and the new, at any stage of bloom to half-grown or thereabout. In regions of mild winters and moderately low total heat during the growing season, such as the coastal belt of southern California, Valencia becomes a summer-ripening fruit, but with crops that alternate appreciably in amount and somewhat in fruit size. Because the fruit stores remarkably well on the trees without much dropping and little loss in quality, it is practicable in this cool, equable region to extend the harvesting season through the summer into fall and to ship tree-ripened Valencia oranges as late as October or early November—17 or 18 months from the time of bloom.
Presumably associated with its very high total heat requirement and the relatively high acid content of the fruit is the fact that the Valencia orange exhibits the widest range of climatic adaptation of any orange variety of commercial importance. It is suitable for the heat-deficient, mild, subtropical climate of coastal southern California, the hot, low elevation desert regions of California and Arizona, the humid, semitropical climate of Florida, and tropical climates in general.
As might be expected, Valencia is therefore much the most important variety of the common sweet orange group and seems likely to remain so. It is of major importance in both Florida and California and currently accounts for about half the total orange production of the United States. It is also of major importance in South Africa, Australia, and Mexico and of considerable importance in Israel, Algeria, Morocco, and Brazil. In the 1965-66 season, production was 48.9 million boxes (90-1b) in Florida and 19.3 million boxes (75-1b) in California and Arizona. Including production elsewhere, a conservative estimate of the current world production of this variety would appear to be not less than 100 million 70-pound box equivalents. In Florida, approximately 80 per cent of the crop is processed for juice products, whereas in California about two-thirds is shipped fresh.
The common assumption that this variety is of Spanish origin is not supported by the evidence. While varieties of similar appearance exist in the Valencia region of Spain and elsewhere, none is characterized by the lateness of maturity of Valencia. Berna, which approaches it in late maturity, is altogether different in other respects. Valencia Temprana, the only Spanish variety with the name Valencia, is an early ripening fruit of smaller size and flatter form that is no longer propagated (Gonzalez-Sicilia, 1963, pp. 198 and 201). Moreover, Gonzalez-Sicilia states (1963, p. 211) that the Valencia variety originated in the United States and was introduced into Spain by the Estación Naranjera de Levante at Burjasot, near Valencia.
The English nurseryman, Thomas Rivers of Sawbridgeworth, imported this variety from the Azores Islands and catalogued it in 1865 under the name Excelsior (Coit, 1915). About 1870, he provided trees to S. B. Parsons, a Long Island Nurseryman, and in 1876 he sent trees to A. B. Chapman of San Gabriel, California. In the meantime, Parsons sold trees to E. H. Hart of Federal Point, Florida, where in 1877 the variety received the name Hart's Tardiff. According to Webber (1943, p. 523), the trees received by Chapman were unlabeled and included several varieties, one of which proved to be late maturing and was provisionally called Rivers Late. A few years later Chapman changed the name to Valencia Late at the suggestion of a Spanish visitor who pronounced it similar to a late-maturing variety in the region of Valencia. It was not until several decades later that comparisons in California established the fact that these two indistinguishable varieties were identical and much later that this fact received recognition in Florida.
While this variety can be traced back to the Azores, it seems unlikely that it originated there and probable that it came from Portugal. That likelihood has been greatly strengthened by the recent discovery there of an old variety that is indistinguishable from Valencia, which has been named Don João (Galvão, 1943; Chapot, 1963c).
Byron O. Clark (1916) appears to have been the nurseryman most responsible for the popularization of the Valencia orange in California. The first commercial orchard was established near Placentia about 1880 when R. H. Gilman converted a young planting of five acres to the new variety by top-budding. The first carload of Valencia oranges shipped to eastern markets, however, is reported to have been sent in 1877 by J. R. Dobbins of San Gabriel.
Other varieties that are indistinguishable from Valencia include Lue Gim Gong and Pope of Florida, Natal of Brazil, Calderon of Argentina, and Harward of New Zealand. Two of these—Lue Gim Gong and Harward—are known to have originated as Valencia seedlings and doubtless represent nucellar selections of that variety.
As would be expected in a clonal variety of such extensive propagation and wide distribution, bud variation of Valencia has given rise to a number of mutant varieties, among which are Armstrong and Perry of California, Muden of South Africa, and Seedless Valencia of Australia. Ksiri, a seedless mutation, has recently been reported in Morocco (Merle, Chapot and Huet, 1964).
For some decades past, clonal selections have been widely used in both Australia and California and presumably to some extent elsewhere. Those currently most popular in Australia are reported to be Berri, Lord Howe, and Norton or Chaffee. These and St. Ives, a selection used in coastal New South Wales, all trace back to outstanding trees propagated from introductions made by the Chaffey Brothers of California in the early 1890's for use in their nursery operations at Mildura, Victoria. Another selection is Chapman, which came direct from California. Levitt reports that when grown side by side at the Narara Horticultural Research Station, New South Wales, these Australian clonal selections have been indistinguishable and without significant differences in performance or behavior.4 Under the arid conditions of the lower Murray River Valley, however, they hold their color and juice qualities later into the summer and fall than other selections.
The principal five old budline clonal selections in California have been Azusa, Randall, Hardison, San Marino, and Sespe. The latter three closely trace back to the original tree at San Gabriel and are not more than two or three bud generations removed from it. Azusa is undoubtedly not far removed from the original tree, but the parent tree is unknown. Randall is known to have been introduced from Florida in 1903 as Hart's Tardiff, the name given to this variety there in 1877. Distinctive differences between these California clonal selections are not discernible.
In recent years, most of the trees planted in California have been of nucellar budlines, which are virus-free, more vigorous, and commonly more productive. Currently the most popular of these are Cutter, Frost, and Olinda. The latter two are indistinguishable, but Cutter appears to be somewhat more vigorous, presumably because of its more recent origin. Campbell is also popular and outstandingly vigorous. In the opinion of the writer, however, the parent clone differs from Valencia and constitutes a separate variety.
Verna
See under Berna.
Vicieda (Viciedo)
Fruit medium-small, short-oval; base with shallow radial furrows; occasional areolar ring; moderately seedy. Color light orange. Rind medium-thin and finely pebbled. Flesh color pale; texture somewhat fibrous; not very juicy; well flavored. Early midseason in maturity.
Tree medium-large and moderately productive, but with marked tendency to alternate bearing.
This old Spanish variety, which is also grown to some extent in Morocco and Algeria, is declining in importance in favor of superior varieties.
An unnamed improved selection of Vicieda is recognized (Gonzalez-Sicilia, 1963) in which the basal radial furrows are lacking, the rind is thinner, smoother, and better colored, the flesh juicier, and the seed content lower. Indeed, there is reason for the conclusion that Vicieda consists of a group of clones, some of which are much better than others.
Minor Common Orange Varieties.—Common orange varieties of lesser commercial importance or more local interest than those discussed in the preceding subsection are presented below.
Arancio Barile
See under Barile.
Armstrong (Armstrong Seedless Valencia, Mohn)
Presumably a bud variation of Valencia, Armstrong is a Californian variety indistinguishable from the parent except that the fruit is virtually seedless (very occasionally a seed). The parent budded tree was found about 1928 in the orchard of Pearl C. Mohn at Anaheim, California. The new variety was patented in 1935 (Patent No. 124) and was introduced by the Armstrong Nurseries of Ontario in 1939. It has not achieved much importance, presumably because the parent variety is so nearly seedless (none to five or six seeds).
Aziza
This Moroccan variety is a beledi selection or unknown origin that was formerly of local importance and has now been replaced largely with better varieties. The fruit matures in midseason and is nearly seedless, medium-small, and oblong to oval, with a medium-thick, tightly adherent rind. The flesh is tender, melting, and of good flavor. The tree is moderately vigorous, somewhat upright, and possesses an alternate bearing tendency.
Bailidge
The tree of the Bailidge variety is vigorous and productive, yielding an attractive, medium-large, very few-seeded, midseason-ripening fruit. As in the case of Clanor, this South African variety also traces back to old, layered, seedling orange trees, in this instance three adjoining and indistinguishable trees on the property of Bailey and Cumberlidge near Rustenburg in western Transvaal. The date of its selection and the person responsible are unknown. Late to come into bearing and mediocre in quality. Bailidge is no longer popular except in the eastern Cape Province region.
Barile (Arancio Barile)
This old Italian variety is of unknown origin and was never important except in the Adrano district, where it has been little planted for many years. Barile is a few-seeded, medium-sized, late midseason fruit that is distinctive in form in that it is oblong-oval with a furrowed neck or collar. The rind is of medium thickness, moderately pebbled, and bright orange in color. The flesh is firm and of agreeable flavor. Of medium vigor and size, the tree is not very productive. Chapot reports that this variety markedly resembles the Shamouti of Israel and is closely related, if not identical.5
Best (Best Seedless)
Best is one of a number of varieties of local origin or selection that are considered promising in New Zealand. Such varieties currently comprise about 20 per cent of the sweet orange acreage in that country. Best is a virtually seedless fruit of early midseason maturity and is characterized by the frequent presence of a navel, juicy flesh, and rich flavor. The tree is vigorous and productive. The variety originated as a rootstock seedling of unknown parentage on the property of a Mr. Best at Avondale, Auckland.
Bibile (Bibile Seedless)
A variety with seedless fruit of good rind texture and quality, Bibile originated as a seedling in the Bibile district of Ceylon. It was found by A. V. Richards, government horticulturist, and named and introduced in 1949 (Richards, 1949).
Blanche de Teneriffe
See under Tenerife.
Boone (Boone's Early, Giddings)
A very early ripening, light-colored, moderately seedy fruit of medium size and good flavor, Boone was popular in the early decades of the Florida industry but was soon superseded by Parson and Hamlin. According to Webber (1943), the fruit is highly variable, poorly colored, and drops badly following maturity. The variety is said to have originated as a seedling selected by a Mr. Giddings near Webster and was first propagated by David Collins of that locality under the name Giddings. It was promoted under its present name in 1889 by C. A. Boone of Orlando, but has not been planted for many years.
Branca
See under Prata.
Burton (Helen Burton)
This South African variety produces a virtually seedless, high quality, medium-sized fruit of midseason maturity. The tree is vigorous, upright-growing, large, densely foliated, and productive. Burton originated as a seedling of Cape Seedling parentage in a small planting originally owned by Mrs. Helen Burton at Clanwilliam, western Cape Province. The selection was made in 1954 by G. Joubert, field officer at Citrusdal for the South African Cooperative Citrus Exchange. This new variety is considered promising and a few young plantings currently exist in western Cape Province.
Butler
Fruit medium-large, oblong to ellipsoid; color light orange; moderately seedy. Flesh juicy and well flavored. Early midseason in maturity.
Tree vigorous, large, and productive.
This Arizona variety apparently originated from seedlings imported from Florida about 1895 and was found about 1915 in the orchard of Robert Butler near Phoenix. It was first propagated about 1925 and is currently the most popular early season variety in central Arizona.
Cadena Punchosa
A moderately seedy, midseason Spanish variety that much resembles Cadenera, Cadena Punchosa is inferior in that the fruit is much seedier. In addition, Gonzalez-Sicilia (1963) reports that the juice content is lower, the flavor less rich, and the season of maturity a little later. Chapot reports that in Morocco these differences are not evident. Cadena Punchosa has largely been replaced with less seedy varieties and is no longer planted.6
Calderon
This late-ripening Argentinian variety so closely resembles Valencia that the two are virtually indistinguishable. The fruit is medium-sized, well-colored, and has few seeds. The tree is vigorous, large, round-topped, and productive. A comparatively new variety, Calderon is reported to have originated as a chance seedling that came to notice in a seedling orchard near Resistencia, Chaco Province. It is rapidly increasing in popularity and during recent years has been planted extensively in Misiones Province and to some extent in the Concordia district of Entre Ríos Province.
Campbell
This Californian variety is commonly and, in the opinion of the writer, erroneously called Campbell Valencia. The fruit is indistinguishable from Valencia, but the tree exhibits certain consistent, discernible differences in vigor and behavior in comparison with Valencia. In trials of the two parent clones and of nucellar clonal budlines of comparable age, the trees of Campbell have consistently been more vigorous, thornier, larger, broader-topped, and slower to come into bearing than Valencia. The fruit has also been slightly lower in juice content than Valencia in the coastal region and has exhibited a greater tendency to regreen in the interior districts (Lombard, 1663). Moreover, in a trial at Santa Paula, Campbell is reported to have shown a higher, though small, percentage of fruits that were creased or of a chimeric nature. These differences, however, might possibly relate to infection by the stubborn virus.
The parent tree came to light about 1942 in the Early Campbell orchard near Santa Ana, which was planted in 1871 (Bitters, Batchelor, and Foote, 1956). Almost certainly it was a seedling, for budded trees were little used at that time, which was five years before the introduction of the Valencia variety in California. The possibility that the orchard could later have been topbudded to Valencia is remote, for trees propagated from roots of this tree some years ago have shown no differences whatever from those propagated from the top. And, finally, there are the differences noted in the trials.
During recent decades Campbell has been planted considerably in California. More recently, the Campbell nucellar budline has achieved popularity. This seedling is indistinguishable from Campbell, but is more vigorous, thornier, and considered to be of nucellar origin. It was derived some time prior to 1942 by H. S. Fawcett at the Citrus Research Center, Riverside, California. It should probably be called Fawcett Campbell.
Capuchina (Capucin)
This Spanish variety produces a medium-small, oblong to oval fruit of low seed content, very sweet flavor, and midseason maturity. Capuchina is still of local importance, primarily in the Orihuela district of Alicante Province, but it is no longer planted.
Casa Grande (Oasis)
Casa Grande is an early ripening, highly productive Arizona variety, the fruit of which is medium-small and moderately seedy. The tree is vigorous, upright, somewhat thorny, and yields heavily.
The variety originated as a dooryard seedling in Casa Grande, attracted attention about 1925, and was first propagated by C. J. Wood, who made a commercial planting in the Salt River Valley in 1930. A few small plantings have been made in recent years, but this variety seems unlikely to become important.
Conner (Conner's Seedless)
The Conner is a medium-small, nearly seedless, midseason fruit. This variety, which is of exceptional tree vigor, originated as a seedling in the old orchard planted about 1879 near Glenwood, Florida, from which the Hamlin variety came to light. Webber (1943) considers the Carlton variety identical to Conner. Conner was popular for some decades and old orchards still remain.
Croc (Croc 25)
This South African variety has a very early ripening, moderately seedy fruit of good flavor, and is of interest primarily because it originated as a limb sport in a Washington navel orange tree. Though seedier, it bears considerable resemblance to the Marrs variety of Texas, which is of similar origin. Croc came to light comparatively recently in one of the orchards of the Crocodile Valley Citrus Estates near Nelspruit, eastern Transvaal, where the only commercial planting occurs.
Cutter Valencia (Cutter Nucellar Valencia)
This California nucellar seedling was derived about 1935 by H. S. Fawcett of the Citrus Research Center, Riverside, from an outstanding old Valencia tree in the J. C. Cutter orchard at Riverside. This seedling budline was released in 1957 and is currently popular. Cutter is exceptionally vigorous and thorny and somewhat slow to come into bearing.
Dacre
Dacre is a local midseason variety in New Zealand. The fruit is medium to medium-small, low in seed content, juicy, and of good flavor. The tree is vigorous and productive.
The variety originated as a seedling of unknown parentage on the property of a Mr. Dacre in the Bay-of-Islands district of northern New Zealand.
Delicious (Partin Delicious)
An early maturing fruit with considerable resemblance to Parson, Delicious is smoother in rind texture, deeper in flesh color, and contains fewer seeds. The fruit also holds better on the tree without dropping or loss in quality. The tree is vigorous, unusually upright, and productive. According to Ziegler and Wolfe (1961), this Florida variety traces back to a seedling of unknown origin that came to the attention of Clay S. Partin about 1900 and has been propagated ever since for use in the Partin family holdings. It was introduced commercially in 1958 by the Lilian S. Lee Nurseries of St. Cloud. It is considered to be promising.
Delta
This South African variety produces a seedless fruit of high quality that resembles the Valencia but matures somewhat earlier. The tree is vigorous and productive. Delta originated as a dooryard seedling. It is thought to be of Valencia parentage and was found in 1952 by A. Smith, Government Entomologist, at Rustenburg, western Transvaal. It is considered to be promising and has already been planted to some extent.
Diller
Fruit small to medium, oblong to slightly ellipsoid; seeds comparatively few. Color bright orange. Rind medium-thick and moderately pebbled. Flesh well-colored, juicy; flavor good. Early in maturity.
Tree moderately vigorous; short, thick, upright-growing branchlets and leaves; productive under desert conditions. Said to be above average in cold tolerance.
This Arizona variety originated as a seedling of Florida origin in the orchard of Daniel Diller near Phoenix and was selected in 1910 and introduced about 1920. It soon became popular as an early variety in the Salt River Valley, where the 1965 planting was said to be about 1,000 acres.
Diva
The fruit of this late-ripening Brazilian variety is medium-sized, firm but juicy, of good flavor, and contains very few seeds. It is said to ship and keep well. The tree is of medium vigor and size, upright in growth, and only moderately productive. Of unknown origin and limited importance, Diva is considered to be promising.
Don João
This is a very late-ripening Portuguese variety that came to light in 1943 in the Don João quinta (orchard) near Beja (Galvão, 1943). It is so similar to Valencia that Eng. Bento Nascimento, director of an agricultural research station at Tavira in the important Algarve citrus region, lists it in a recent communication as a synonym for Valencia Late.
Don João traces back to two very old trees, the sole remaining survivors in 1943 of a larger planting. The fruit of these trees was very late in maturing and held well on the trees through summer without loss of quality. The writer recently visited this orchard and found only one tree remaining. The tree is thought to be not less than eighty years old and may be older, although it has been neglected for many years, severely pruned, and does not look that age.
The writer found young, bearing Don João trees alongside Valencia at both the Tavira and Setúbal citrus research stations to be indistinguishable. He considers the possibility good that they are the same, since contrary to popular belief the evidence indicates that Valencia is likewise of Portuguese origin or introduction (see Valencia). Don João has been much planted in Portugal in recent years and on a small scale in Morocco (Chapot, 1963e).
Du Roi
Du Roi produces a medium-small, moderately seedy fruit and came into prominence in the early period of the Florida citrus industry, primarily because of its medium-late maturity. It was soon replaced by Valencia, however. Widely distributed to other countries, it achieved commercial importance principally in South Africa where old orchards still remain, though it has not been planted for some decades.
The origin and history of Du Roi are obscure, but according to Webber (1943) it was probably introduced into Florida from the Mediterranean basin by the Thomas Rivers Nursery of Sawbridgeworth, England.
Early Shamouti
See under Kinarti.
Enterprise (Enterprise Seedless)
Enterprise produces a medium-small, commercially seedless, early ripening fruit. The variety was prominent in the early period of the Florida industry. It is still sparingly planted in Brazil, but has largely been replaced by Hamlin.
Enterprise originated as a seedling in an orchard at Glenwood, Florida, near De Land. It was recognized as promising about 1880 and named for the nearby town of Enterprise. In arid climates, the fruit is too small to compete with other and better varieties.
Escalon
This Mexican variety produces a seedy, oblong fruit of midseason maturity that has a smooth rind and good color and flavor. Escalon is believed to have originated as a seedling selection in Jalisco State, where it is currently the most popular variety.
Folha Murcha
This is a late-ripening Brazilian variety with fruit that markedly resembles the Valencia.
The tre
