Amandarin orange (Citrus reticulata), often simply calledmandarin, is a small, roundedcitrus treefruit. Treated as a distinct species oforange, it is usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. The mandarin is small and oblate, unlike the roughly sphericalsweet orange (which is a mandarin-pomelohybrid). Thetaste is sweeter and stronger than the common orange. A ripe mandarin orange is firm to slightly soft, heavy for its size, and pebbly-skinned. The peel is thin and loose, with little whitemesocarp, so they are usually easier to peel and to split into segments. Hybrids have these traits to lesser degrees. The mandarin orange is tender and is damaged easily by cold. It can be grown in tropical and subtropical areas.
According to genetic studies, the wild mandarin was one of theoriginal citrus species; through breeding or natural hybridization, it is the ancestor of manyhybrid citrus cultivars. With thecitron and pomelo, it is the ancestor of the most commercially important hybrids (such as sweet and sour oranges, grapefruit, and many lemons and limes). Though the ancestral mandarin orange was bitter, most commercial mandarin strains derive from hybridization with the pomelo, which gives them sweet fruit.
The namemandarin orange is acalque of Swedishmandarin apelsin [apelsin from GermanApfelsine (Apfel +Sina), meaningChinese apple], first attested in the 18th century. The Imperial Chinese term "mandarine" was first adopted by theFrench for this fruit. The reason for the epithet is not clear.[1]
Citrus reticulata is from Latin, where reticulata means "netted".[2]
Citrus reticulata is a moderate-sized tree some 7.6 metres (25 ft) in height.[2][3] The tree trunk and major branches have thorns. The leaves are shiny, green, and rather small. Thepetioles are short, almost wingless or slightly winged. The flowers are borne singly or in small groups in the leaf-axils.[3] Citrus are usuallyself-fertile (needing only abee to movepollen within the same flower) orparthenocarpic (not needingpollination and therefore seedless, such as thesatsuma). A mature mandarin tree can yield up to 79 kilograms (175 lb) of fruit.[4]
Mandarin orange fruits are small 40–80 millimetres (1.6–3.1 in).[3] Their color isorange, yellow-orange, or red-orange.[5] The skin is thin and peels off easily.[3] Their easiness to peel is an important advantage of mandarin oranges over other citrus fruits.[5] Just like with other citrus fruits, mandarin is separated easily from the segments.[3] The fruits may beseedless or contain a small number ofseeds. Though the ancestral mandarin orange was bitter, most commercial mandarin strains derive from hybridization with pomelo, which gives them sweet fruit.[6] They can be eaten as whole or squeezed to makejuice.[3][5] A ripe mandarin orange is firm to slightly soft, heavy for its size, and pebbly-skinned. The peel is thin and loose, with little whitemesocarp, so they are easy to peel and to split into segments.[7]
Mandarins appear to have been domesticated at least twice, in the north and southNanling Mountains, derived from separate wild subspecies. Wild mandarins are still found there, including Daoxian mandarines (sometimes given the species nameCitrus daoxianensis) as well as some members of the group traditionally called 'Mangshan wild mandarins', a generic grouping for the wild mandarin-like fruit of the Mangshan area that includes both true mandarins (mangshanyeju,[11] the southern subspecies) and the genetically distinct and only distantly-relatedMangshanyegan. The wild mandarins were found free of the introgressed pomelo (C. maxima) DNA found in domestic mandarins. Still, they did appear to have small amounts (~1.8%) of introgression from theichang papeda, which grows wild in the same region.[12]
The Nanling Mountains are home to northern and southern genetic clusters of domestic mandarins that have similar levels of sugars in the fruit compared to their wild relatives but appreciably (in some almost 90-fold) lower levels of citric acid. The clusters display different patterns of pomelo introgression, have different deduced historical population histories, and are most closely related to distinct wild mandarins, suggesting two independent domestications in the north and south. All tested domesticated cultivars belong to one of these two genetic clusters, with varieties such as Nanfengmiju, Kishu, and Satsuma from the northern domestication event producing larger, redder fruit, while varieties such as Willowleaf, Dancy, Sunki, Cleopatra, King, and Ponkan belong to the smaller, yellower-fruited southern cluster.[12]
TheTanaka classification system divided domestic mandarins and similar fruit into numerous species, giving distinct names to cultivars such as willowleaf mandarins (C. deliciosa),satsumas (C. unshiu),tangerines (C. tangerina). Under theSwingle system, all these are considered to be varieties of a single species,Citrus reticulata.[13] Hodgson represented them as several subgroups: common (C. reticulata), Satsuma,King (C. nobilis), Mediterranean (willowleaf), small-fruited (C. indica,C. tachibana andC. reshni), and mandarin hybrids.[14] In the genomic-based species taxonomy of Ollitrault et al., only pure wild type mandarins would fall underC. reticulata, while the pomelo admixture found in the majority of mandarins would cause them to be classified as varieties of the hybrid bitter orange,C. aurantium.[15]
Genetic analysis is consistent with continental mandarins representing a single species, varying due to hybridization.[8] An island species,Citrus ryukyuensis that diverged 2 to 3 million years ago when cut off by rising sea levels, was found onOkinawa Island. Its hybridization with the mainland species has produced unique island cultivars in Japan and Taiwan, such as theTachibana orange[11] theShekwasha,[11] andNanfengmiju.[16] They have some pomelo DNA, like all domesticated mandarins.[12] Northern and southern domesticates contain different pomelo contributions.[12] An 'acidic' group including Sunki andCleopatra mandarins likewise contain small regions ofintrogressed pomelo DNA; they are too sour to eat, but are widely used as rootstock and grown for juice.[13][8] Another group, including some tangerines, satsuma, and king mandarins, show more pomelo contribution.[8] Hybrid mandarins thus fall on a continuum of increasing pomelo contribution with clementines, sweet and sour oranges, and grapefruit.[10][17][8]
In 2022, world production of mandarin oranges (combined with tangerines, clementines, and satsumas in reporting toFAOSTAT) was 44.2 milliontonnes, led by China with 61% of the global total. Spain produced 1.8 million tonnes in 2022, withTurkey,Egypt, andMorocco as other significant producers.[18]
A mandarin orange contains 85% water, 13%carbohydrates, and negligible amounts offat andprotein (table). Amongmicronutrients, onlyvitamin C is in significant content (32% of theDaily Value) in a 100-gram reference serving, with all other nutrients in low amounts.
Mandarins have a stronger and sweeter taste than sweet oranges.[5] They are peeled and eaten fresh or used in salads, desserts and main dishes.[3] Fresh mandarins are used in the production of theliqueurMandarine Napoléon.[21]
Thepeel is used fresh, whole oras zest, or dried aschenpi. It can be used as a spice for cooking, baking, drinks, or candy.Essential oil from the fresh peel may be used as a flavouring for candy, ingelatins,ice cream,chewing gum, and baked goods.[3] It is used as a flavouring in some liqueurs.[3]
In North America, mandarins are commonly purchased in 5- or 10-pound boxes,[5] individually wrapped in soft green paper, and given inChristmas stockings. This custom goes back to the 1880s when Japanese immigrants in Canada and the United States began receiving Japanese mandarin oranges from their families back home as gifts for the New Year. The tradition spread among the non-Japanese population and eastwards across the country: each November harvest, "The oranges were quickly unloaded and shipped east by rail. 'Orange Trains' – trains with boxcars painted orange – alerted everyone along the way that the irresistible oranges from Japan were back again for the holidays. For many, the arrival of Japanese mandarin oranges signalled the beginning of the holiday season."[22] Satsumas were grown in the United States from the early 1900s. Still, Japan remained a major supplier.[23] U.S. imports of these Japanese oranges was suspended due to hostilities with Japan during World War II.[22] While they were one of the first Japanese goods allowed for export after the end of the war, residual hostility led to the rebranding of these oranges as "Mandarin" oranges instead of "Japanese" oranges.[22]
The delivery of the first batch of mandarin oranges from Japan in the port ofVancouver is greeted with a festival that combines Santa Claus and Japanese dancers[24]—young girls dressed in traditionalkimonos.[25] Historically, the Christmas fruit sold in North America was mostlyDancys, but now it is more often a hybrid.[26] This Japanese tradition merged with European traditions related to theChristmas stocking.Saint Nicholas is said to have putgold coins into the stockings of three poor girls so that they would be able to afford to get married.[27] Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold, and oranges became a symbolic stand-in for these gold balls, and are put in Christmas stockings in Canada.[27][24] Their use as Christmas gifts probably spread from the Japanese immigrant community.[28] Mandarin oranges are mentioned inSinclair Ross' 1942 novel,As for Me and My House, and his 1939 short story,Cornet at Night.[29]
^Klein, Joshua D. (2014). "Citron Cultivation, Production and Uses in the Mediterranean Region".Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the Middle-East. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World. Vol. 2. pp. 199–214.doi:10.1007/978-94-017-9276-9_10.ISBN978-94-017-9275-2.
^Andersen, Peter C.; Ferguson, James J. (19 November 2014)."The Satsuma Mandarin".Electronic Data Information Source. IFAS Extension, University of Florida. Retrieved9 April 2018.
^abMarion, Paul (19 December 2010)."Oranges at Christmas".Richard Howe; Lowell Politics and Lowell History. Retrieved15 January 2013.
^"Christmas Stockings".Christmas Traditions in France and in Canada. Ministère de la culture et de la communication de France. Retrieved15 January 2013.
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