| Tangerine | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Genus: | Citrus |
| Species: | C. × tangerina |
| Binomial name | |
| Citrus× tangerina | |
Thetangerine is a type ofcitrus fruit that is orange in colour, that is considered either a variety of themandarin orange (Citrus reticulata), or a closely related species, under the nameCitrus tangerina,[1][2][3] or yet as a hybrid (Citrus ×tangerina) of mandarin orange varieties, with somepomelo contribution.
The word "tangerine" was originally an adjective meaning "of Tangier", a Moroccan seaport on theStrait of Gibraltar. The name was first used for fruit shipped fromTangier, described as a mandarin variety.[4] The OED cites this usage fromAddison'sThe Tatler in 1710 with similar uses from the 1800s. The fruit was once known scientifically as "Citrus nobilis var.tangeriana"; it grew in the region of Tangiers. This usage appeared in the 1800s.[5]
Under theTanaka classification system,Citrus tangerina is considered a separate species. Under theSwingle system, tangerines are considered a group of mandarin (C. reticulata) varieties.[7] Some differ only in disease resistance.[8] The term is also currently applied to any reddish-orange mandarin (and, in some jurisdictions, mandarin-like hybrids, including sometangors).[9][10]
Tangerines are smaller and less rounded thanoranges. They taste lesssour, as well as sweeter and stronger, than oranges do.[11] A ripe tangerine is firm to slightly soft, and pebbly-skinned with no deep grooves, as well as orange in color. The peel is thin, with little bitter whitemesocarp.[12] All of these traits are shared by mandarins generally.
The peak tangerine season lasts from autumn to spring. Tangerines are most commonly peeled and eaten by hand. The fresh fruit is also used in salads, desserts and main dishes. The peel is used fresh or dried as aspice orzest for baking and drinks. Fresh tangerine juice and frozen juice concentrate are commonly available in the United States.
| Country | Production (millions oftonnes) |
|---|---|
 China | 25.0 |
 Spain | 2.0 |
 Turkey | 1.8 |
 Morocco | 1.2 |
 Brazil | 1.08 |
 United States | 1.05 |
 Egypt | 1.0 |
| World | 42.0 |
In 2021, world production of tangerines (including mandarins andclementines) was 42 million tonnes (46 million short tons), led by China with 60% of the total (table).
Tangerines were first grown and cultivated as a distinct crop in the Americas by a Major Atway inPalatka, Florida.[14] Atway was said to have imported them from Morocco (more specifically its third-largest city, the port ofTangier), which was the origin of the name. Major Atway sold his groves to N. H. Moragne in 1843, giving the Moragne tangerine the other part of its name.[15]
The Moragne tangerine produced a seedling which became one of the oldest and most popular American varieties, theDancy tangerine (zipper-skin tangerine, kid-glove orange).[15]Genetic analysis has shown the parents of the Dancy to have been two mandarin orange hybrids each with a small pomelo contribution, aPonkan mandarin orange and a second unidentified mandarin.[16] The Dancy is no longer widely commercially grown; it is too delicate to handle and ship well, it is susceptible toAlternaria fungus, and it bears more heavily in alternate years.[17][18] Dancys are still grown for personal consumption, and manyhybrids of the Dancy are grown commercially.
Until the 1970s, the Dancy was the most widely grown tangerine in the United States;[19] the popularity of the fruit led to the term "tangerine" being broadly applied as a marketing name. Florida classifies tangerine-like hybrid fruits as tangerines for the purposes of sale and regulation;[9] this classification is widely used but regarded as technically inaccurate in the industry.[10] Among the most important tangerine hybrids ofFlorida aremurcotts (a late-fruiting type of tangor marketed as "honey tangerine"[20]) and Sunbursts (an early-fruiting complex tangerine-orange-grapefruit hybrid).[21] The fallglo, also a three-way hybrid (5⁄8 tangerine,1⁄4 orange and1⁄8 grapefruit), is also grown.[22]
 A murcott, likely a tangerine hybrid | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 223 kJ (53 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13.34 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 10.58 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 1.8 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.31 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.81 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 85.2 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated usingUS recommendations for adults,[23] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation fromthe National Academies.[24] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tangerines contain 85% water, 13%carbohydrates, and negligible amounts offat andprotein (table). Amongmicronutrients, onlyvitamin C is in significant content (30% of theDaily Value) in a 100-gram (3.5 oz) reference serving, with all othermicronutrients in low amounts.
Data related toCitrus tangerina at Wikispecies
Tangerine at the Wikibooks Cookbook subproject
Media related toTangerines at Wikimedia CommonsAuthority control databases: National |
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