1614

2: Edible fruits and nuts

Citrus aurantium L.

RUTACEAE

Sour orange, seville orange, bigarade (En). Bigaradier (Fr). Indonesia: lemon itam. Malaysia: limau samar. Philippines: cabuso. Cambodia: krôôch loviing. Thailand: som.

Originating from South-East Asia, sour orange is widely cultivated there and in all tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

The fruits are eaten prepared into marmalades, drinks, etc. The fruits are also used medicinally and for flavouring. The flowers are used for perfumery.

Tree, up to 10 m tall, armed with 5—8 cm long spines. Leaves ovate, 6—14 cm x 4—10 cm; flowers white, fragrant, large. Fruit a subglobose berry, 7—8 cm in diameter, rough-surfaced, bright reddish-orange, with 10—12 segments. Sour orange is tolerant of adverse conditions, it withstands several degrees of frost for short periods and is adapted to a wide range of soil conditions. The taxonomy is complicated because of wide variability of the species and because of hybridization. Many cultivars exist.

[8]Brown, W.H., 1951–1957. Useful plants of the Philippines. Reprint of the 1941–1943 ed. 3 Volumes. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Technical Bulletin 10. Bureau of Printing, Manila, the Philippines.
[31]Hume, H.H., 1957. Citrus fruits. MacMillan, New York. 444 pp.
[56]Morton, J.F., 1987. Fruits of warm climates. Creative Resource Systems Inc., Winterville, N.C., USA. 503 pp.
[69]Reuther, W., Webber, H.J. & Batchelor, L.D. (Editors), 1967. The Citrus industry. Revised ed. 4 Volumes. Division of Agricultural Sciences, University of California.

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen

Jansen, P.C.M., Jukema, J., Oyen, L.P.A. & van Lingen, T.G., 1991. Citrus aurantium L.. In: Verheij, E.W.M. and Coronel, R.E. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 2: Edible fruits and nuts. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea