KUMQUAT

any of several evergreen shrubs or trees of the genus Fortunella (family Rutaceae). Native to eastern Asia, these small trees are cultivated throughout the subtropics, including southern California and Florida. They reach about 2.4 to 3.6 m (8 to 12 feet) high. The branches are mainly thornless and have dark green, glossy leaves and white, orangelike flowers, occurring singly or clustered in the leaf axils. The bright, orange-yellow fruit is round or oval, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter, with mildly acid, juicy pulp and a sweet, edible, pulpy skin. Kumquats may be eaten fresh, preserved, or made into jams and jellies; in China they are frequently candied. Branches of the kumquat tree are used for Christmas decoration in parts of the United States and elsewhere. The oval, or Nagami, kumquat (F. margarita) is the most common species. It is native to southern China and bears yellow fruits that are about 3 cm in diameter. The round, or Marumi, kumquat is F. japonica; it is indigenous to Japan and has orangelike fruits that are about 2.5 cm in diameter. The egg-shaped Meiwa kumquat (F. crassifolia), in which both the pulp and the rind of the fruit are sweet, is considered an intrageneric hybrid and is widely grown in China. In the United States, hybrids have been produced with limes, mandarin oranges, and other citrus fruits.