Citrus myrtifolia

Myrtle-leaved orange tree
Chinotto oranges growing on a tree
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Citrus
Species: C. myrtifolia
Binomial name
Citrus myrtifolia
Raf.

Citrus myrtifolia, the myrtle-leaved orange tree, is a species of Citrus with foliage similar to that of the common myrtle. It is a compact tree with small leaves and no thorns which grows to a height of three metres and can be found in Malta, Libya , south France and Italy (primarily in Liguria typically Savona and also in Tuscany, Sicily and Calabria).

The fruit of the tree resemble small oranges. They are sour or bitter and are commonly called by their Italian name, chinotto. They are an essential flavoring agent of most Italian amari, of the popular Campari aperitif, and of several brands of carbonated soft drinks that are generically called "chinotto".

Citrus myrtifolia is sometimes planted in gardens. Due to its compactness, it can also be planted in a pot or other container.

Chinotto at the Botanical Garden of the Brissago Islands.

Synonyms

Chinoto a sour myritifolia orange, at the Linnean House of the Missouri Botanical Garden.

References

    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/27/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.