Citrus ryukyuensis
| Ryukyu mandarin | |
|---|---|
| Tree, flower and fruit of the tanibuta | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Genus: | Citrus |
| Species: | C. ryukyuensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Citrus ryukyuensis Wu, 2021 | |
Citrus ryukyuensis, also known as the tanibuta (Okinawan: タニブター, romanized: tanibutā, lit. 'big seed'), is a newly characterized wild citrus species native to the Ryukyus and adjacent islands, most closely related to the mainland mandarin orange, C. reticulata. As with other citrus, it is a member of the Rutaceae family. The Ryukyu and mainland species have diverged for more than 2 million years, and unlike the mainland mandarin, the Ryukyu mandarin reproduces sexually. Its hybridization with the mainland species has given rise to the unique mandarin hybrids of the islands.