Citrus

This article is about the fruit. For other uses, see Citrus (disambiguation).

Citrus Temporal range:
Sweet orange (Citrus × sinensis cultivar)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Subfamily:	Aurantioideae
Genus:	Citrus L.
Type species
Citrus medica L.
Species and hybrids
Ancestral species: Citrus maxima – Pomelo Citrus medica – Citron Citrus reticulata – Mandarin orange Citrus micrantha – a papeda Citrus hystrix – Kaffir lime Citrus cavaleriei – Ichang papeda Citrus japonica – Kumquat Important hybrids: Citrus × aurantiifolia – Key lime Citrus × aurantium – Bitter orange Citrus × latifolia – Persian lime Citrus × limon – Lemon Citrus × limonia – Rangpur Citrus × paradisi – Grapefruit Citrus × sinensis – Sweet orange Citrus × tangerina – Tangerine See also List of citrus fruits.
Synonyms
Aurantium Mill. Citreum Mill. ×Citrofortunella J.W.Ingram & H.E.Moore ×Citroncirus J.W.Ingram & H.E.Moore Citrophorum Neck. Eremocitrus Swingle Feroniella Swingle Fortunella Swingle Limon Mill. Microcitrus Swingle Oxanthera Montrouz. Papeda Hassk. Pleurocitrus Tanaka Poncirus Raf. Pseudaegle Miq. Sarcodactilis C.F.Gaertn.

Citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, such as citrons, mandarins, and pomelos. Many important citrus crops have been developed through extensive hybridization, including oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and limes, all of which have many cultivars.

Citrus is native to South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Melanesia, and Australia. Indigenous people in these areas have used and domesticated various species since ancient times. Its cultivation first spread into Micronesia and Polynesia through the Austronesian expansion (c. 3000–1500 BCE). Later, it was spread to the Middle East and the Mediterranean (c. 1200 BCE) via the incense trade route, and then from Europe to the Americas.

Renowned for their highly fragrant aromas and complex flavor, citrus are among the most popular fruits in cultivation. With a propensity to hybridize between species, making their taxonomy complicated, the genus has numerous varieties encompassing a wide range of appearance and fruit flavors.