Mandarin tree named ‘AC4916’

Abstract

A new mandarin tree named AC4916 notable for its flavorful seedless fruit.

Claims

1. A new and distinct mandarin tree named AC4916 substantially as described and illustrated herein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

(1) The accompanying photographs, which show fifth- and sixthleaf AC4916 mandarin trees grown on Carrizo rootstock, were taken in 2023 and 2024 at Visalia, California. The trees were planted in 2019. The colors of the claimed plant and its fruit may vary with lighting conditions. Therefore, color characteristics should be determined with reference to the observations described herein, rather than from these illustrations alone.

(2) FIG. 1 shows sectioned fruit from an AC4916 mandarin tree;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a shoot from an AC4916 mandarin tree;

(4) FIG. 3 shows leaves from an AC4916 mandarin tree;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the trunk of an AC4916 mandarin tree;

(6) FIG. 5 shows an AC4916 mandarin tree; and,

(7) FIG. 6 shows flowers of an AC4916 mandarin tree.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(8) The following detailed botanical description is based on observations recorded at Visalia, California in 2023 of fifth-leaf trees planted in 2019 on Carrizo rootstock. The characteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices, climatic conditions, location and growing season. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of individual plants of the claimed variety. The measurements of any individual plant or any group of plants of the variety may vary from the stated average. Colors are described with reference to The R.H.S. Colour Chart, 6th edition (Royal Horticultural Society 2019).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

(9) Tree: Vigor.Medium strong. Density of canopy.Medium dense. Habit.Spreading. Height.3 m. Trunk diameter (at 30 cm above the graft).7 cm to 10 cm. Bark texture.Slightly rough. Bark color.Grey-brown 199B. Branch (fruiting branches about 1 m above graft): Length.About 1.5 m. Diameter.2 cm to 3 cm. Crotch angle.Acute. Bark color.Grey-brown 199B. Bark texture.Slightly rough. Thorns.Absent. Current year shoot length.70 cm to 72 cm. Current year shoot color.Green NN137B. Flower buds: Shape.Oval. Length.0.9 cm. Diameter.0.5 cm. Bud color.White NN155D. Flowers: Date of first bloom.Mar. 27, 2024. Number of flowers per cluster.1 to 4. Number of petals per flower.5. Flower diameter.2.8 cm. Flower depth.1.1 cm. Petals: Shape.Strap. Apex.Rounded. Margin.Entire. Length.1.3 cm. Width.0.3 cm. Colorupper surface.White 155D. Colorlower surface.155B. Relative position of petal margins.Overlapping. Pistil: Quantity per flower.1. Length.7.4 mm. Stigma: Length.1 mm. Stigma color.Yellow 13C. Style: Length.4.6 mm. Color.Yellow-green 151D. Ovary: Length.2 mm. Diameter.2.4 mm. Color.Yellow-green 145A. Stamens: Quantity per flower.20. Anther length.2 mm. Anther color.Yellow-orange 14A. Pollen.Present in moderate amount. Pedicel: Length.4 mm. Diameter.1 mm. Color.Yellow-green N144D. Sepals: Length.2 mm. Sepal width.2 mm. Sepal shape.Deltoid with acuminate apex. Sepal margin.Entire. Sepal colorupper surface.Yellow-green 154C. Sepal colorlower surface.Yellow-green 154B. Leaves: Length.65 mm to 80 mm. Width.35 mm to 45 mm. Length/width ratio.1.4 to 2.3. Blade margin.Broadly crenate. Leaf shape.Broadly elliptic. Apex shape.Acute. Base shape.Rounded. Texture of upper surface.Medium-firm, smooth. Color of upper surface.Yellow-green 146A. Color of lower surface.Yellow-green 146B. Petiole length.6 mm to 10 mm. Petiole diameter.1 mm to 2 mm. Petiole color.Yellow-green N144A. Wings.Absent. Fruit: Axial diameter.74.1 mm. Apical diameter.60.5 mm. General shape in profile.Oblate. Position of broadest part.Middle. Shape in cross-section.Round. Presence of neck.Absent. Presence of depression at stalk end.Present. Presence of areola.Absent. Presence of navel.Absent. Rind color.Orange N25B. Rind thickness.3.4 mm. Ease of peeling.Easy to medium. Rind texture.Smooth to medium. Rind glossiness.Strong. Albedo color.Yellow 15D. Quantity of fruit segments per fruit.9 to 12. Toughness of segment membrane.Weak. Juice sac length.8 mm to 12 mm. Juice sac shape.Elongated. Juice sac color.Yellow-orange N21A. Flesh color.Orange N25B. Juice soluble solids.8.8 Brix. Relative harvest maturity.January to May; after Tango (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,863), a middle to late maturing variety. Parthenocarpy.Present. Seeds.None. Market use: Fresh. Keeping quality: Excellent. Shipping quality: Excellent.