Lee Mandarin

In 1942, the USDA citrus program in Florida made the Clementine (female) × Orlando tangelo cross that produced a 327-seedling population. Reece and Gardner identify Lee as Orlando No. 421-36-4; UCR's reproduced 1967 account says the hybrids were released in 1959. The historical clone number is not documented as a match to CRC 3851.^⁠[2]⁠[1]

Reece and Gardner's 1959 Florida report describes Lee (Orlando No. 421-36-4) as nearly round, with easy peeling, tender melting orange flesh, 9 or 10 segments, and 10–25 seeds in mixed plantings. They describe its high solids-to-acids ratio as making the fruit very sweet and report an October–November season. These observations concern the historical selection, not an identified CRC 3851 tree.^⁠[2]

A 1967 Citrus Industry profile reproduced on UCR's CRC 3851 page describes medium, slightly oblate-to-subglobose fruit with a thin leathery rind, 9–10 segments, a large hollow axis, tender melting orange flesh and abundant juice. It reports rich-sweet flavor, numerous seeds and medium-early maturity.^⁠[1]

The same 1967 profile describes the tree as nearly thornless, with dense foliage and medium-sized lanceolate leaves.^⁠[1]

A UCR collection note dated November 23, 1988 reports a heavy crop on tree 9 and no fruit on tree 10, alongside medium fruit with dark-orange rind, difficult peeling, juicy flesh, some seeds and slight rag. Separately, UCR lists November–January ripening at Riverside for CRC 3851.^⁠[1]

Franz Witte's nursery profile describes small orange fruit with orange flesh and a juicy texture, usually ready for picking from early winter to early spring. The page identifies no accession or tested tree; Nampa is nursery context.^⁠[3]