
Botanical Name: Citrus reticulata Blanco
Family: Rutaceae.
Synonyms: Citrus nobilis var. deliciosa .; C. deliciosa Ten.; mandarin; Mandarin orange; red tangerine.
Origin: Native to China and Indo-China. First recorded by Europeans in the early eighteenth century. Commercially cultivated in Southern Europe and North Africa. Main producers are Italy, Spain, USA, Brazil, Argentina.
Botanical Description: A small evergreen about 4-meters (15 ft) high with a single trunk, narrow lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate glossy dark green leaves and small, white scented flowers. The fruit's a flattened globoid.
Oil Extraction: Essential oil is obtained by cold expression of the peels (pericarp) of fruits. The oil is orange-brown, yellowish brown or olive-brown mobile liquid. Yield 0.5%.
Aroma Profile: Has an intensely sweet, aldehydic, sometimes 'fishy' citrus top note. The middle note is sweet, floral, (neroli like) citrus. The dry out is lingering floral-citrus sweetness.
Major Constituents: Limonene (65 to 75%), γ-terpinene (15 to 25%), α-pinene (3%).
Adulterants: Synthetic limonene, lemon terpenes.
Regulatory Status: GRAS 182.20.
Aromatherapy: Uplifting, refreshing, cheering.
Blends well with: Neroli, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, rose, bergamot, lime.
Safety Data: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing. Avoid use in sun.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .