Bergamot orange Bergamot orange Citrus bergamia, the bergamot orange (pronounced ), is a fragrant citrus fruit the size of an orange, with a yellow or green color similar to a lime, depending on ripeness. Genetic research into the ancestral origins of extant citrus cultivars found bergamot orange to be a probable hybrid of lemon and bitter orange. Extracts have been used to scent food, perfumes, and cosmetics. Use on the skin can increase photosensitivity, resulting in greater damage from sun exposure. The word bergamot is etymologically derived from the Italian word ""bergamotto"", ultimately of Turkish origin: "bey armudu" or "bey armut" ("prince's
Citrus micrantha "C. micrantha" had the highest concentration of bergapten of any "Citrus" species. In particular, "C. micrantha" contained almost twice as much bergapten as the bergamot orange whose essential oil is highly phototoxic. Indiscriminate use of bergamot essential oil has led to several cases of phytophotodermatitis, a potentially severe skin inflammation. In these cases, the primary causal agent is believed to be bergapten. Citrus micrantha Citrus micrantha is a species of wild citrus from the papeda group, native to southern Philippines, particularly islands of Cebu and Bohol. Two varieties are recognized: small-flowered papeda ("C. micrantha" var. "micrantha"), locally known as biasong,