103. CITRUS AURANTIUM ORANGE. 25 



ORDER AURANTIACE2E : ORANGE FAMILY. 



Leaves altenate, with 1-3 leaflets articulated with the often winged petiole, ex- 

 stipulate, gland-dotted. Flowers regular 3-5-numerous; sepals and petals inserted 

 upon a hypogynous disk; stamens with flat filaments distinct or cohering in one or 

 more sets; pistil with single terminal style and compound ovary. Fruit, a berry 

 consisting of several carpels, with thick rind, juicy pulp and exalbuminous soft- 

 shelled seeds attached to the inner angle of each carpel; cotyledons thick. 



Trees and shrubs abounding, in nearly all parts of the plant, in small transparent 

 receptacles of a sweet and pungent volatile oil. 



GENUS CITRUS, L. 



Leaves shining evergreen, oval to lance-ovate, entire or serulate, often with axil- 

 lary spines, further as described for the genus. Flowers are borne on axillary or 

 terminal single or several-flowered peduncles, waxy white or pink-tinted and deli- 

 ciously fragrant; sepels 5; petals 5; stamens polyadelphous with 10 or more (usually 

 in multiples of 5) versatile anthers. Fruit as described for the order; varying from 

 light yellow to a reddish golden color, of delightful fragrance, the rind copiously 

 supplied with volatile oil glands, and the pulp with a free acid. 



Small trees and shrubs of great beauty, especially when adorned with the fragrant 

 flowers and fruit. (Citrus is from the Greek xirpiov, the citron or lemon.) 



103. CITRUS AURANTIUM, L. 



ORANGE. 



Ger., Omngeribaum ; Fr., Granger; Sp., Naranjo, 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: Leaves ovate to ovate-oblong, crenulate. and petiole 

 winged. Flowers as described for the genus; anthers usually 20. Fruit globose, 

 flattened at the ends, of a reddish-golden color, delightfully fragrant, of a more or 

 less acid and generally sweet and delicious flavor. 



(The specific name, Aurantium, is from the Latin aurum, gold.) 



Small or medium-size trees, rarely attaining the bight of 30 ft. (10m.) 

 and with a trunk 18 in. (0.45 m.) in diameter, though usually much 

 smaller than the above dimensions, with full rounded head and smooth 

 brownish-gray bark of trunk usually with fine streaks of yellowish in old 

 trees. 



Nowhere in the realm of trees can a more beautiful object be found 

 than the Orange tree with its lustrous dark green foliage and laden with 

 its golden fruit; or at a certain season of the year with its waxy fragrant 

 flowers and fruit in all stages of development at the same time. 



HABITAT. The native home of the Orange is supposed to be India, 

 where it is now said to be found among the Himalaya mountains bearing 

 sweet fruit. It has been extensively introduced into countries of warmer 

 climates throughout the world, and in many localities, as in Florida for 

 instance, it has become thoroughly naturalized. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood heavy, hard, strong, of very close 

 grain and susceptible of a smooth polish; of a light lemon yellow 

 color, little difference being seen between the heart- wood and sap-wood. 

 4 



