Trifoliate orange

Citrus trifoliata

The trifoliate orange, ''Citrus trifoliata'' or ''Poncirus trifoliata'', is a member of the family Rutaceae. Whether the species should be considered to belong to its own genus, ''Poncirus'' or included in the genus ''Citrus'' is debated.
Trifoliate Orange This is a picture of Trifoliate Orange at Kinder Farm Park in Millersville, Maryland. Citrus trifoliata,Geotagged,Trifoliate orangeCitrus trifoliata or Poncirus trifoliata (syn.),United States,Winter

Appearance

The trifoliate orange is recognizable by the large 3–5 cm thorns on the shoots, and its deciduous leaves with three leaflets, typically with the middle leaflet 3–5 cm long, and the two side leaflets 2–3 cm long. The flowers are white, with pink stamens, 3–5 cm in diameter, larger than those of true citrus but otherwise closely resembling them, except that the scent is much less pronounced than with true citrus. As with true citrus, the leaves give off a spicy smell when crushed.

The fruits are green, ripening to yellow, and 3–4 cm in diameter similar in size to a lime and resembling a small orange, but with a finely downy surface and having a fuzzy texture similar to a peach. The fruits also have distinctive smell from other citrus varieties and often contain a high concentration of seeds.

Food

The fruits are very bitter, due in part to their poncirin content. Most people consider them inedible fresh, but they can be made into marmalade. When dried and powdered, they can be used as a condiment.

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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassEudicots
OrderSapindales
FamilyRutaceae
GenusCitrus
SpeciesC. trifoliata