Tangerine

The tangerine “citrus reticula L. var.”sometimes referred as “citrus tangerina” is a group of orange-colored citrus fruit consisting of hybrids of mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata). The name was first used for fruit coming from Tangier, Morocco, described as a mandarin variety. Under the Tanaka classification system, Citrus tangerina is considered a separate species. Under the Swingle system, tangerines are considered to be a group of mandarin (C. reticulata) varieties. Genetic study analyzing the cultivated mandarin varieties i.e. ponkan, willowleaf, huanglingmiao and tangerine showed in fact they were mandarin orange hybrids containing some pomelo DNA. Thus we find that the pomelo hybridization shown in the tangerine DNA is not unique when compared to other cultivated mandarin varieties. When we consider what makes the claim for a separate species (citrus tangerina) amongst the other cultivated mandarin varieties, we can conclude its a fancy of sorts considering it is of the same hybrid as cultivated mandarin oranges. Some differ only in disease resistance. The term is currently applied to any reddish-orange mandarin[citation needed] (and, in some jurisdictions, mandarin-like hybrids, including some tangors).

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