Bitter orange
The bitter orange or bitter orange ( Citrus aurantium × L.), also Sevilla -Orange and Sour Orange called, is a citrus . Their fruit is orange-like, but bitter and smaller. The bitter orange probably originated as a hybrid between grapefruit ( Citrus maxima ) and mandarin ( Citrus reticulata ), probably in southern China.
The homeland of the bitter oranges can no longer be determined today. It is likely that the first trees with the orange-colored fruit grew in the southern, tropical regions of the Himalayas or in the mountainous regions of China. What is certain is that the tree has been cultivated for more than 4000 years primarily for its aromatic fruit.
The sweet orange , which originated from the same parent species, is distinguished from the bitter oranges because of their completely different use. While the bitter orange came to Italy in the 11th century at the latest, the sweet variant was only introduced to Europe in the 15th century.
description
The bitter orange grows as evergreen, and ten-foot tall tree with a round crown. The branches are covered with thorns in the leaf axils, which are usually thin and short, but can also reach five to eight centimeters in length on young, strongly growing shoots.
The oval leaves end in a somewhat extended but blunt leaf tip and are rounded to tapered to wedge-shaped at the leaf base. The leaf stalk is two to three centimeters long and clearly widened heart-shaped (winged): the width is one to two centimeters near the leaf blade, the widening tapering off towards the shoot. The leaves contain oil glands and the smell of the oil ( petitgrain ) is perceived as pleasant.
The white flowers also have a strong scent. Five to twelve percent of the flowers contain only stamens, no gynoeceum .
The fruits are round, somewhat flattened, the bright orange skin when ripe is thicker and more uneven than that of the orange . The outer, colored shell can be peeled off relatively easily. Inside, the fruit is divided into ten to twelve segments, and many varieties contain numerous seeds. The pulp is sour, the white layer under the skin ( mesocarp , albedo) and the membranes around the individual segments ( endocarp ) taste bitter. The central axis of the fruit is usually hollow when ripe. Harvest time in the Mediterranean is January to February.
use
Orange peel is made from the outer fruit peel and orange jam from the entire fruit , with the outer fruit peel peeled off and crushed and added to the jelly. In addition, the peel and juice of the bitter orange are required for the production of the Curaçao liqueur , the Berlin liqueur Mampe Halb und Halb and the Italian bitter orange lemonade Aranciata Amara . The quinotto fruit , probably a variety of the bitter orange, is the basis for the quinotto lemonade ; this “Italian Cola” in turn was the model for the Maltese Kinnie . Both product and brand names refer to China as the presumed home of the original plant.
The bitter orange also provides the perfumery with three very important fragrance components, which are clearly different in smell:
- Neroli oil from the flowers. As a by-product of steam distillation , the so-called orange blossom water is obtained as condensation water .
- Bitter orange oil from the fruit peels. An important fragrance component in Eau de Cologne and many fresh “lemon-like” fragrances.
- Petitgrain oil bigarade made from leaves, twigs and the unripe green fruits. The eau des brouts is a by-product .
A watery distillate from the flowers called Aqua Naphae was also used in medieval scent formulas .
Synephrine is a substance found in bitter orange that is marketed as a fat burner . Similar effects to the pharmacologically related ephedrine are promised, but the actual effectiveness is very controversial.
Hesperidin is obtained from the dried fruit by boiling it with water and then extracting it with sodium hydroxide solution. This natural substance serves as the starting product for the synthesis of diosmin , an active ingredient for drugs in the cardiovascular system.
Furanocoumarins are blood-thinning substances that make the skin more sensitive to light (photosensitization). Therefore, simultaneous intensive exposure to UV light (tanning salon or intense sunlight) can lead to skin irritation. Coumarins are also contained in small quantities.
The dried flower drug is used as a taste and odor corrector in pharmaceutical preparations, especially teas.
Naming
The bitter orange came to Europe in the Middle Ages. First mentions in the Mediterranean area can be found in the 10th century in Arabic scripts as nārandsch /نارنج. This word is derived from a Dravidian word via Persian and Sanskrit . In Spain, bitter oranges were planted by the 11th century at the latest. The Arabic name was adopted in Spanish and Portuguese and is the origin of the word orange (see the section on naming in the article "Orange"). It was not until Giovanni Baptista Ferrari that the form Aurantium was found in 1646 , which is related to the Latin word aurum for "gold" and thus to the color of the fruit. The name bitter orange is derived from the Latin pomum aurantium (with the addition "pomum" = "apple").
Carl von Linné chose the scientific name Citrus aurantium for the bitter orange . Now that it is clear that this is a cross, the name is supplemented by a cross symbol: Citrus × aurantium .
Trivia
Derived from the bitter orange is the colloquial joking or derogatory term " country bitter orange " for a woman from a rural province with a lack of world education, who u. a. also refers to the fresh color of the complexion with bitter orange-red chubby cheeks.
Bitter orange rarity
A bitter orange rarity is the "German Landsknechthose" ( Citrus aurantium Fasciata ). The fruit, which was already described in the 16th century, is markedly striped when ripe. The name refers to the pants costume German mercenaries on. Striped mercenary trousers are still worn by the Vatican Guard . The striped fruit peels of the Landsknechthosen bitter orange are initially green in color while ripening, while the lower peel turns yellow. When fully ripe, the stripes are orange. The historical variety can also be found under the variety names Virgatum , Virgolare or Fiamato .
literature
- W. Reuther, HJ Webber, LD Batchelor (Eds.) (1967): The Citrus Industry . Vol. 1 & 2. University of California.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ E. Nicolosi et al. (2004): Citrus phylogeny and genetic origin of important species as investigated by molecular markers . Theoretical and Applied Genetics 100 (8): 1155-1166.
- ↑ Bitter orange / bitter orange - effect, application, botany | DocJones.de . In: DocJones.de . ( docjones.de [accessed on November 23, 2017]).
- ↑ Aurantii amari epicarpium et mesocarpium - bitter orange peel. Retrieved November 23, 2017 .
- ↑ B. Rahfeld (2009): Microscopic color atlas of plant drugs ; 1st ed .; Spektrum Akademischer Verlag Heidelberg, ISBN 978-3-8274-1951-4 ; P. 138; Reference to monograph of the Commission E.
- ↑ L. Ramón-Laca (2003): The Introduction of Cultivated Citrus to Europe via Northern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula . Economic Botany 57 (4): 502-514.
- ↑ Helmut Genaust: Etymological dictionary of botanical plant names. 3rd, completely revised and expanded edition. Nikol, Hamburg 2005, ISBN 3-937872-16-7 (reprint from 1996).
- ↑ H. Marzell (1943): Dictionary of German plant names . Verlag S. Hirzel, Leipzig.
- ↑ Martina Römer A Bucket South Article from July 24, 2005 on welt.de
- ^ Johann Werfring: Cure in the Schönbrunn Orangery Hospital . Article in the “Wiener Zeitung” on May 10, 2012, supplement “ProgrammPunkte”, p. 7.
- ↑ German Landsknechtshose on flora-toskana.com