Citrus myrtifolia, the myrtle-leaved orange tree, is a species of Citrus

Citrus

Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...

 with foliage similar to that of the common myrtle. It is a compact tree with small leaves and no thorns which grows to a height of three meters and can be found in Malta

Malta

Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...

 and in the Liguria

Liguria

Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...

, Tuscany

Tuscany

Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....

, Sicily

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

, and Calabria

Calabria

Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....

 regions of Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

.

The fruit of the tree resemble small oranges. They are sour or bitter and are commonly called by their Italian name, chinotto. They are an essential flavoring agent

Flavor

Flavor or flavour is the sensory impression of a food or other substance, and is determined mainly by the chemical senses of taste and smell. The "trigeminal senses", which detect chemical irritants in the mouth and throat as well as temperature and texture, are also very important to the overall...

 of most Italian amari, of the popular Campari

Campari

Campari is an alcoholic apéritif obtained from the infusion of herbs and fruit in alcohol and water. It is a bitters characterized by its dark red color....

 aperitif

Aperitif

Apéritifs and digestifs are alcoholic drinks that are normally served with meals.-Apéritifs:An apéritif is usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. This contrasts with digestifs, which are served after a meal for the purpose of aiding digestion...

, and of several brands of carbonated soft drinks that are generically called "chinotto"

Chinotto (soft drink)

Chinotto is a type of carbonated soft drink produced from the juice of the fruit of the myrtle-leaved orange tree . The beverage is dark in color. Its appearance is similar to that of Coca-Cola, but it is not as sweet as Coca-Cola, having rather a bittersweet taste.Chinotto soda dates back to the...

.

Citrus myrtifolia is sometimes planted in gardens. Due to its compactness, it can also be planted in a pot or other container.

Synonyms

• Citrus aurantium var. myrtifolia Ker-Gawl. in Bot. Reg. vol. 4, t. 346, in textu. 1818.
• Citrus pumila Marc. in Izv. Sochin. Obl. Sukhum. Stants. vol. 2. 1921.