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Description: Citrus reticulata (Mandarin Orange or Tangerine) is a small, sometimes spiny tree that grows up to 9 m (~30 ft) high with leaves that have scalloped edges and slightly winged petioles. It produces flowers with white petals. The fruits are somewhat flattened, roundish. and the orange pulp is sweet to somewhat sour. C. reticulata fruits are generally smaller in size than those of the true orange, C. sinensis.The skins of Mandarin Orange or Tangerine may turn lighter green or yellow to orange when ripe, and they are loose and peel easily.
Distribution: C. reticulata is indigenous to South-East Asia, the Philippines, and perhaps other areas of Malesia. It is a post-European-contact introduction to the Pacific Islands, but rather commonly found in garden areas, fallow forests, and tree groves surrounding villages, of some Micronesian Islands, but not on atolls.
Uses by Island and Island Group: The fruit are eaten as a favored seasonal snack food throughout the Pacific.
Uses in Yap: According to Falanruw et al. (1987:7) the Mandarin Orange, C. reticulata, is one of many cultivated tree species “commonly found in the agroforest overstory” of Yap.
Uses in Guam: “This is a common tree found on ranches and around homesites and valued for its edible fruit” on Guam (Moore and McMakin 1979:173).
Uses in Pohnpei: The fruit of the introduced Mandarin Orange (C. reticulata) is eaten as food on Pohnpei after removal of the skin, and its leaves are prepared and used as a body bath to “treat a headache” (Balick et al. 2009:493).
Uses in Kosrae: Kosrae is well known for its citrus fruits, and tangerines, oranges, limes and other citrus fruits are available from a variety of commercial outlets on that island.