Nippon

Synonyms

None

Cultivar or taxon

Citrus x aurantium L. X Citrus japonica Thunb. (sensu Mabberley 2004); Citrus unshiu Marcov. x (Fortunella japonica (Thunb.) Swingle X Fortunella margarita (Lour.) Swingle 'Meiwa') (sensu Swingle and Reece 1967; sensu Tanaka sec. Cottin 2002)

Origin

Hodgson (1967) noted that: "This variety originated from a cross between the satsuma mandarin (C. unshiu) and the Meiwa kumquat (F. crassifolia) made in Washington, D.C. by Eugene May of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was described in 1931 (Swingle, Robinson, and Savage 1931) and introduced in 1932. Although it is a somewhat attractive ornamental and the fruit makes excellent marmalade, the orangequat has not become popular and remains an oddity or collection item."

The Chiefland Budwood Facility (2010) provided the following notes on the cultivar (clone F-77142): "Orangequat received budwood from Adams Citrus Nursery in 1977. Origin: Dr. E. May, USDA, Washington D.C. hybrid (Satsuma x Meiwa)."

Description

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 or bluntly toothed, shade leaflet blades flat or weakly conduplicate, sun leaflet blades weakly or strongly conduplicate. Scent of crushed leaflets spicy or peppery. Fruit as broad as long or longer than broad; rind yellow (7-10), yellow-orange (11), orange (12), or red-orange (13); rind texture slightly rough (4-5); firmness leathery; navel absent; flesh orange; taste acidic-sweet or sour.

Hodgson (1967) provided the following additional information on the cultivar:

"Fruit small (but larger than the kumquat), broadly oval to obovate; orange-colored; rind relatively thick and spongy; flavor mild and pulp acid. Matures early but holds well on tree for several months.

Tree slow-growing, medium-small, spreading; foliage dark green."

The Chiefland Budwood Facility (2010) provided the following additional notes on the cultivar (clone F-77142): "Description: Fruit larger than kumquat, thick spongy rind. Ornamental, used for marmalade. Season: Early, holds well on tree."

References

Chiefland Budwood Facility. 2010. 2010 Annual report July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010. 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. 2004. Citrus (Rutaceae): A review of recent advances in etymology, systematics and medical applications. Blumea 49: 481–498.

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.

Swingle, W.T., T.R. Robinson, and E.M. Savage. 1931. New citrus hybrids. U.S. Deptartment of Agriculture Circular 181:1–19.

Resources

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