Agrodoce, Kip, Sweet (sec. Cottin 2002)
Citrus x aurantium L., pro sp. [Sour Orange Group] (sensu Mabberley 2004, Bayer et al. 2009); Citrus aurantium L. (sensu Hogdson 1967; sensu Tanaka sec. Cottin 2002)
Hodgson (1967) noted in his treatment of bittersweet oranges that: "Formerly thought to be a hybrid of the sweet and sour oranges, the weight of evidence suggests that the bittersweet orange originated as a mutation from the latter. It appears to be identical with thc[sic] fruit described by Risso and Poiteau (1818-22, p. 101) as the sweet-fruited bitter orange of the Mediterranean basin. It seems likely that the Spanish took this orange to both Florida and South America, for it was early found in the former and occurs extensively in Paraguay where it comprises an important source of oil of petit grain."
Crown compact or dense, not weeping. First-year twig surface glabrous; second- or third-year surface striate; thorns absent or not persistent; prickles absent or not persistent. Petiole glabrous, length medium, wings medium or wide, adjoining the blade. Leaflets one, margin bluntly toothed, shade leaflet blades flat or weakly conduplicate, sun leaflet blades weakly or strongly conduplicate. Scent of crushed leaflets spicy or peppery. Fruit broader than long, or as broad as long, or longer than broad; rind yellow (7-10), yellow-orange (11), orange (12), or red-orange (13); rind texture medium rough (6-7); firmness leathery; navel absent; flesh orange; taste acidic-sweet.
Hodgson (1967) provided the following additional notes on the bittersweet orange group:
"Minor differences that characterize most of the bittersweet oranges include somewhat denser and more compact habit of growth, broader and less taper-pointed leaves, and paler-colored fruit of slightly smaller size and smoother rind texture.
Two named varieties, both of which doubtless consist of more than one clone, are Bittersweet of Florida and Paraguay (Apepu). They are so similar as to be scarcely distinguishable."
Bayer, R.J., D.J. Mabberley, C. Morton, C.H. Miller, I.K. Sharma, B.E. Pfeil, S. Rich, R. Hitchcock, and S. Sykes. 2009. A molecular phylogeny of the orange subfamily (Rutaceae: Aurantioideae) using nine cpDNA sequences. American Journal of Botany 96: 668–685.
Cottin, R. 2002. Citrus of the World: A citrus directory. Version 2.0. France: SRA INRA-CIRAD.
Hodgson, R.W. 1967. Horticultural varieties of Citrus. In: Reuther, W., H.J. Webber, and L.D. Batchelor (eds.). The Citrus industry, rev. University of California Press. http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter4.html.
Mabberley, D.J. 2004. Citrus (Rutaceae): A review of recent advances in etymology, systematics and medical applications. Blumea 49: 481–498.
Search for this cultivar in NCBI Entrez
Citrus ID Edition 2
October, 2011
idtools.org
