Citrus reticulata (Mandarin)

Native to southern China, this evergreen shrub or small tree is widely cultivated for its fruit. Its branches are sometimes thorny, and the narrow, glossy leaves have slightly winged stalks. Fragrant white flowers occur in the leaf axils, singly or in small clusters. The rounded fruits are often flattened at the poles, with a thin, loose rind that peels readily from juicy orange segments. Cultivars differ in sweetness, acidity, seediness and ripening season. Some need pollen from a compatible citrus variety to produce a good crop. In hot tropical conditions, mature fruit can retain green patches on the rind. Photographed in Ecuador.