McMahon (sec. Cottin 2002)
Citrus x aurantium L., pro sp. [Sweet Orange Group] (sensu Mabberley 1997, Bayer et al. 2009); Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck (sensu Swingle and Reece 1967; sensu Tanaka sec. Cottin 2002)
Hodgson noted that: "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."
The Chiefland Budwood Facility (2010) provided the following additional notes on the cultivar (clone 56-28): " Once identified as SPB-43, planted at Foundation Grove row 56 in 1960. Seed originated from University of Florida Grounds Grove on Archer Road (pollinated in 1955 and seeds planted 1956). The Homosassa was a selected seedling by David Levy Yulee on his plantation on Tiger Island in the Homosassa River prior to 1877.
The Chiefland Budwood Facility (2010) provided the following notes on the cultivar (clone 56-28): "Up until 1907, Homosassa and Jaffa were recognized as two of the three best midseason oranges in Florida."
Crown compact or dense, not weeping. First-year twig surface glabrous; second- or third-year twig surface striate; thorns absent or not persistent; prickles absent or not persistent. Petiole glabrous, length short or medium; wings narrow, adjoining the blade. Leaflets one, margin entire (by misinterpretation) or bluntly toothed, shade leaflet blades flat or weakly conduplicate, sun leaflet blades weakly or strongly conduplicate. Scent of crushed leaflets sweetly orange-like. Fruit as broad as long or longer than broad; rind yellow (7-10), yellow-orange (11), or orange (12); rind texture slightly rough (4-5); firmness leathery; navel absent; flesh orange; taste acidic-sweet.
Hodgson (1967) provided the following additional notes on the cultivar:
"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."
The Chiefland Budwood Facility (2010) provided the following notes on the cultivar (clone 56-28): "Up until 1907, Homosassa and Jaffa were recognized as two of the three best midseason oranges in Florida."
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.
Chiefland Budwood Facility. 2009. 2009 Annual report July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009. Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Winter Haven.
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. 1997. A classification for edible Citrus (Rutaceae). Telopea 7: 167–172.
Swingle, W.T. and P.C. Reece. 1967. The botany of Citrus and its wild relatives. In: Reuther, W., H.J. Webber, and L.D. Batchelor (eds.). The Citrus industry. Ed. 2. Vol. I. University of California, Riverside. http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter3.html.
Webber, H.J. 1943. Cultivated varieties of citrus. In: Webber, H.J. and L.D. Batchelor (eds.). The Citrus industry. I: 475-668. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles.
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Citrus ID Edition 2
October, 2011
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