Native to Mediterranean and tropical regions, the fruit of Citrus sinensis is called "sweet orange" to distinguish it from "bitter orange" (Citrus aurancia). This orange's native habitat is between the Himalayas and southern China. The Portuguese first reported it around 1400. Since then, its cultivation has spread significantly to several countries. The sweet orange tree, a small tree in the Rutaceae family, is an ancient hybrid, likely a cross between Citrus maxima and Citrus reticulata.
