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Finnish
 Sweet orange
Citrus sinensis
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 History
 Cultivation
 Harvest

 Sweet orange varieties  (Index to this page)

 Sweet orange

 Sweet early varieties
   
 Late juicy varieties
   
 Navel oranges
     
 Blood oranges

'Tarocco Blood'  Deep blood orange
© CCPP Citrus Clonal Protection Program
 







  


History
Citrus sinensis var. brasiliensis, Navel orang

Full blood orange © C. Jacquemond / INRA
Up to the end of the 15th century citron, sour orange, lemon and lime were the only citrus fruit known to Europeans. Increasing trade with India and the Far East and the great voyages of discovery at the end of the 15th century brought many novelties. The sweet orange was among them. From literary sources we know that sweet orange was cultivated in Sicily, Calabria and southern Spain by 1525. The varieties grown at that time were inferior to those we know today and both sweet and sour oranges were used as condiments for fish and meat. It was only after the Portuguese started importing new varieties from China in the latter half of the 16th century that a new type called Portugal orange slowly spread to other parts of southern Europe. By 1650 the Portugal orange was known also in France and Italy. It was sweet and could be eaten fresh, unlike other citrus fruit known at the time. The first greenhouses to protect citrus fruit from frost were built around the same time and became known as orangeries.    

Cultivation
The biggest producers of sweet oranges today are Brazil, the United States, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Italy, India, Argentina and Egypt. The sweet orange is a subtropical, not a tropical plant. Many varieties thrive in the tropics as well but due to lack of cooler seasons and especially cold nights the colour break does not occur and the oranges remain green even when fully ripe. In the tropics producers treat the fruit with gas to change the colour of the rind, making it more appealing to the consumer.

Sweet oranges thrive in a temperate region where the climate resembles the warmer areas of the Mediterranean. They need a lot of sunshine, warmth and water. The differences in temperature between summer and winter and between day and night is important for the flavour and colour to develop properly. Especially the cooler nights of late autumn and early winter help the colour of the fruit to deepen. The darker the desired colour the cooler the nights must be. Blood oranges thrive where nights are coolest but without frost. The sweet orange is highly intolerant of freezing temperatures.   
Citrus sinensis 'Shamouti © C. Jacquemond / INRA

Citrus sinensis 'Chapman Valencia'
Harvest
Citrus sinensis 'Navelina' In suitable conditions some sweet oranges produce flowers and fruit almost throughout the year. A tree may bear buds, flowers and ripe fruit at the same time. Usually the main flowering season is in the spring and the main harvesting period begins in late autumn - early winter for the early varieties and continues until end of spring for the late varieties. The sweet orange varieties can be divided into four main groups:    


 

Sweet orange varieties

On this page sweet oranges are divided into following groups:

       Sweet orange

1.   Sweet early varieties   

2.    Late juicy varieties


3.    Navel oranges 
Navelina  is an early navel orange. 
Bahia  and  Washington Navel are mid-season navel oranges
Navelate  is a late navel orange

4.    Blood oranges  fall into three categories:


Light blood oranges  (flesh tinged with pinkish red)
Red Navel (Cara Cara)Ruby  and  Washington Sanguine
 
Full blood oranges  (flesh and juice have strong bright red colour)  
Thermal TaroccoSanguinello Moscato  and  Bream Tarocco
 
Deep blood oranges
(peel pigmented, flesh and juice of dark red colour) TaroccoSpanish Sanguinelli and  Moro

 



 

   
 LAT Citrus sinensis  (L.) Osbeck Citrus sinensis var. brasiliensis 'Washington Navel'

Citrus sinensis 'Valencia'

Variegated sweet orange
 Syn
Citrus aurantium var. sinensis L.
Aurantium sinense L.


Sweet orange
is the most widely grown fruit tree in the world and the second most commonly cultivated. Banana, which is not a tree, is the number one fruit, grapes come third with apples in fourth place. But if all citrus fruits are counted together they are by far the biggest group of cultivated fruit.


Sweet orange has intrigued the minds of men long before it had been sighted in medieval Europe. When Richard I of England
(Richard the Lionheart) was on the third crusade he spent a year in Palestine from early summer 1191 till late summer 1192. He visited the orange groves near Jaffa and after his return to England he could not stop describing his experiences and the nightly perfumes and sweet tastes he had encountered.

Although it took the sweet orange several centuries to establish its position as one of the world's most common fruits, the increased demand for fresh orange juice and the development of very early and very late maturing varieties have contributed to its present popularity and its year-round availability.
 


 ENG Sweet orange
 FRA Orange douce, Orange de Malte 
 GER Apfelsine 
 I TA Arancia 
 ESP Naranja (dulce) (fruit), Naranjo de la China (tree)
Photos   © UCR Citrus Variety Collection
(3) ©  Petr Broža
 
     


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Sweet early varieties
   
 LAT Citrus sinensis ’Shamouti’  Citrus sinensis 'Shamouti'
Citrus sinensis 'Shamouti'
Citrus sinensis 'Shamouti'
Label on a Jaffa Shamouti
 Syn
Citrus sinensis 'Palestine Jaffa' 

  
Shamouti, also known as Palestine Jaffa, is believed to have developed as a branch sport from an earlier variety called Beledi near the town of Jaffa, Palestine in 1844. The peel is thick but comes off easily in segments. The fruit is juicy, with a distinct flavour and of good quality. Unfortunately it has proven to be susceptible to disease outside its native area and recently it has been planted less often than before. It is still the number one variety in Israel and Lebanon, number two in Syria.

Israeli producers have sold Shamouti budwood to Spanish growers and they have permission to use the Jaffa name (which is an Israeli trademark) for fruit of Israeli origin.

Two later varieties have the same Palestine origin, Jaffa and Joppa, both introduced to the United States in the 1880's. The US Jaffa is often called Florida Jaffa as opposed to the Palestine Jaffa or Shamouti of Israel.

The Jaffa orange that is well known in many European countries is usually Shamouti and often the fruit carry a small sticker with the name Jaffa Shamouti (bottom picture). The Jaffa trademark, under which the Israeli citrus producers sell their fruit, covers several other citrus fruit as well and later orange varieties include Jaffa Navel and Jaffa Valencia.

Shamouti is also known as: Cyprus Oval, Palestine Jaffa, Ronde and Chamouti Yaffaoui.


See other Jaffa citrus fruit  

 ENG Shamouti orange, Palestine orange
FRA Orange shamouti
Photos   (1,2,3) © UCR Citrus
Variety Collection
(4)
© The World of Fruit Labels
         


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis ’Cadenera’   Citrus sinensis 'Cadenera'
    
 
  Cadenera is a medium-sized orange that is often an almost perfect globe. The variety, which originated in Argentina is usually seedless and with a thin peel. Cadenera is very juicy and has a good flavour.
It is also known as: Comice, Cornice and Orero.    

 ENG Cadenera orange 
FRA Orange Cadenera
Photo     © C. Jacquemond / INRA
          


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis ’Salustiana’   Citrus sinensis 'Salustiana'
Citrus sinensis 'Salustiana'
    
 
    
Salustiana is a variety that has recently become less common. The fruit is seedless, very juicy, very sweet and of high quality. Salustiana originated as a spontaneous variation of Cadenera (see above) in Valencia, Spain in 1950. It is highly valued for its juice. The harvest is used almost exclusively for juice production.      


Also known as: Pallas Salustiana, Salus and Salustiano. Don Salustiano Pallas owns the orange grove in Enova, near Valencia, where the variety originated.

 ENG Salustiana orange 
FRA Orange Salustiana
Photos    © C. Jacquemond / INRA
 
      


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis 'Hamlin' Citrus sinensis 'Hamlin'
 Syn  
Citrus sinensis 'Norris'
 
  Hamlin was found as a spontaneous seedling in the garden of A.G. Hamlin near Glenwood, Florida. It proved to be a new variety and was named after its finder. Hamlin has survived severe weather and several nights of frost, which has made it a popular variety in the northernmost regions of the citrus belt.

Hamlin is an early variety, the first fruit reach maturity in October and are seedless. Hamlin is juicy and very productive. It is one of the most important varieties for the Florida orange juice industry.

Hamlin is also known as Norris

 ENG Hamlin orange
FRA Orange Hamlin
Photo   © C. Jacquemond / INRA
       


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Late juicy varieties
  
 LAT Citrus sinensis ’Valencia’   Citrus sinensis 'Valencia', sweet orange
    
 
     Valencia is the world's most important orange variety. It is a major variety in Florida, California, South Africa and Australia. Over 50% of the production is pressed for juice. Valencia grows well, is easy to cultivate and very productive. The fruit is of a high quality and seedless. The peel is thin and the pulp is tender and very juicy. Valencia is a late variety and keeps well on the tree. It can be picked until late spring, or even early summer, which prolongs the season and increases productivity.

Valencia is one of the oranges that also thrives in the tropics. The fruit are of a high quality but in the heat the colour break does not occur and the fruit still remain greenish when fully ripe. Producers treat the fruit with a gas to make the colour more attractive for the consumer.

Valencia has many local varieties, some of which are presented further down.

  
 ENG Valencia orange 
FRA Orange Valencia
Photo     © UCR Citrus Variety Collection
          


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis ’Delta Valencia’   Citrus sinensis 'Delta Valencia'
  
 
     
Delta
was found as a dooryard seedling in 
Transvaal, South Africa in 1952. It is vigorous and productive and grows more erect than Valencia. Delta has become popular because it is less acid and ripens earlier but has all the good qualities of Valencia. In the northern hemisphere Delta reaches maturity in January - February.  

Also known as Delta Seedless.

 ENG  Delta Valencia orange
FRA Orange Delta Valencia
Photo   © UCR CCPP
       


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis ’Midknight Valencia’    Citrus sinensis 'Midknight Valencia'
Citrus sinensis 'Midknight Valencia'
    
 
     The name 'Midknight' is not a spelling mistake. The orange was named after mid-season and its finder Mr. A.P. Knight, who first observed the tree as a somewhat earlier ripening Valencia variety in 1927 near Capetown, South Africa.

Midknight is a virtually seedless, medium-large, somewhat oblong fruit of excellent quality and medium-late maturity.
Midknight grows slower and is more susceptible to frost than Valencia but when fully grown yields a bigger harvest. It also has more sugar and fewer acids than Valencia.

Mid-season occurs in late July - early August in South Africa. In the north Midknight matures in late January - early February.


 ENG Midknight Valencia orange
FRA Orange Midknight Valencia
Photo   © UCR Citrus Variety Collection
         


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis ’Olinda Valencia’   Citrus sinens 'Olinda Valencia'
    
 
     Olinda originated in California in 1939 and was released for sale in 1957. Olinda has aroused the interest of growers because in some cases it has proven to give a harvest twice the size of Valencia. Olinda adapts well to varying conditions. It tolerates high heat and dryness better than other varieties and has shown promise in experiments in Saudi Arabia.    

 ENG Olinda Valencia orange
FRA Orange Olinda Valencia
Photo   © UCR Citrus Variety Collection
         


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis ’Valencia Late’  Citrus sinensis 'Valencia Late'
    
 
     Although Valencia is a late variety and keeps well on the tree, an even later variety has been selected and released with the name Valencia Late.
It is the last of all commonly grown orange varieties to mature and prolongs the availability of oranges globally to a year-round season. When the last Valencia Late oranges have been picked in the north, the first early varieties are ready for harvest in the southern hemisphere. After six months the situation is reversed.
 ENG Valencia Late orange 
FRA Orange Valencia Late
Photo   © C. Jacquemond / INRA
         


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Navel oranges
(Bahia oranges)
  
 LAT Citrus sinensis var. brasiliensis Tanaka Citrus sinensis var. brasiliensis, navel orange
 Syn
 Citrus sinensis ‘Bahia’ 

     Navel oranges, a.k.a. Bahia oranges, get their name from the navel-like protrusion at the lower end of the fruit. It is actually a secondary embryo inside the same fruit.

Navel oranges have no functioning pollen. They do not cross-pollinate with other citruses and produce seedless fruit. Navel oranges are propagated from budwood and recently by cloning. Cloning is the most cost-effective way of propagation especially in developing countries. 

Many navel varieties grow somewhat slower and smaller than other orange varieties. Navels are thought to have originated in Brazil.


 ENG Navel orange, Bahia orange, Brazilian navel
FRA Orange Navel
Photo   © UCR Citrus Variety Collection
         


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis ’Washington Navel’   Citrus sinensis 'Washington Navel'
Parent Washington navel tree
Citrus sinensis 'Washington Navel'
    
 
     Washington Navel is either identical with the Brazilian navel or a close mutant of it. It was imported from Brazil to Washington in 1870 and developed for release in Riverside, California. Washington Navel is the second most important orange variety in the world after Valencia. It is the leading variety in Brazil, California, Paraguay, South Africa, Australia and Japan.

The large exceptionally delicious round seedless fruits are rich in flavour and have a slightly pebbled orange rind that is easily peeled. The Washington navel is early in maturity, at its best in the late autumn to winter months, but will hold on the tree for several months beyond maturity and stores well.


The original source of budwood for this variety, the Parent Washington from 1873  is still alive in Riverside and produces fruit. It was 134 years old in 2007.  The picture in the middle was taken in 2005.

There is an
interesting slideshow by Roistacher C.N. at Ecoport telling the story of the tree.

 ENG Washington Navel Orange, Bahia orange
Seedless sweet orange, Loose-skinned sweet orange

FRA Orange Washington Navel, Orange Bahia
Photos   (1,3) © C. Jacquemond / INRA
 (2) © Roistacher C.N.
          


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis 'Navelate' Citrus sinensis 'Navelate'
    
 
    Because of the popularity of the early maturing navel oranges, varieties of the same kind that would ripen later in the season have long been developed.
A limb sport of a Washington Navel tree was spotted in the Castellon Province of Spain in 1948 and released in 1957 as Navelate.

The fruit is smaller but juicier than Washington, round in shape with a thin peel. The navel structure is also smaller and in some fruit is missing completely.
Navelate fruit can keep on the tree for four months without loss of quality.

 ENG Navelate orange
FRA Orange Navelate
Photo   © UCR Citrus Variety Collection
        


 
 LAT Citrus sinensis 'Navelina' Citrus sinensis 'Navelina'
Citrus sinensis 'Navelina'
 Syn
Citrus sinensis  'Dalmau'
Citrus sinensis 'Smith's Early'
Citrus sinensis 'Washington Early'

    The Navelina navel orange has an interesting history. Navel oranges that would mature even earlier than Washington have long been sought. A budsport found in Riverside, California in 1910 was exported to Spain in 1933 for further development. It was extensively selected and re-introduced to the market in 1990 as Navelina, 'a small navel'. 

80 years of development had produced a medium-sized slightly pear-shaped fruit with a small navel. The rind is very smooth and reddish orange at maturity. The fruit mature very early and are juicy with a sweet flavour that is less sprightly than Washington navel.    

 
Originally named Smith's Early the fruit is also known as Dalmau and Washington Early.
 ENG Navelina orange
FRA Orange Navelina, Orange Washington précoce
Photos   © C. Jacquemond / INRA
© UCR Citrus Variety Collection
          


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Blood oranges
(Pigmented oranges)
 
 LAT Citrus sinensis  sp. Citrus sinensis 'Red Valencia'

Citrus sinensis 'Sanguinelli'

Citrus sinensis 'Bream Tarocco'

Citrus sinensis 'Bream Tarocco'
 
     
Blood oranges
are the pigmented oranges of the Mediterranean basin (sanguina of Spain, sanguine of French-speaking countries, and sanguigna and sanguinella of Italy). They differ in appearance from the common sweet oranges only because under certain conditions the fruit usually exhibits pink or red colouration in the flesh and juice and on the rind. The blood oranges, in general, are characterized by a somewhat distinctive flavour that is much appreciated by connoisseurs and causes certain varieties to be regarded as among the most delicious of oranges. The colouration of the full and deep blood oranges is associated with the development of anthocyanin pigments, whereas the pink and red colouration of the light blood oranges is caused principally by the carotenoid pigment lycopene.

Most blood orange varieties appear to have originated in the Mediterranean basin, probably first in Sicily or Malta where they have been known for several centuries. Although grown to some extent in many of the Mediterranean countries, their commercial culture is confined principally to Italy, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. They enjoy high favour in European markets in general and are especially popular in central and northern Europe.

The conditions responsible for the development of the blood colouration are not well understood and may differ somewhat for the flesh and rind. We know that blood oranges have a high heat requirement but do not thrive in hot and humid environments. A sufficiently big difference between a high day temperature and a low enough night temperature especially towards the end of the growing period seems to be important. Rind colour is deepest in fruit that have grown partly shaded. The richest flavour can be found in fruit grown at higher altitudes where the drop in night temperature is sharpest.

The three main groups of blood oranges are presented below: the light blood oranges, the full blood oranges and the deep blood oranges.

The pictures are of fruit that have grown in optimal conditions and have reached full maturity. Fluctuations in colour can be significant from one year to another.

This chapter is based on:
Robert Willard Hodgson: Horticultural Varieties of Citrus
 
 ENG Blood oranges, Pigmented oranges
 FRA Oranges sanguines 
 GER Blutapfelsine
 I TA  
 ESP Naranjas pigmentadas
Photos   © UCR Citrus Variety Collection
          




   


Light blood oranges
(Semi blood oranges)
 
 LAT Citrus sinensis sp.
Citrus sinensis 'Cara Cara'

Citrus sinensis 'Ruby Blood'

Citrus sinensis 'Washinton Sanguine'
   Citrus sinensis 'Red Navel' ('Cara Cara')
Citrus sinensis ’Ruby’ 
Citrus sinensis 'Washington Sanguine'

   
The less intensely pigmented varieties comprise the light blood group (sanguinello of Italy, demi-sanguine in French) and are numerous and highly variable in behaviour. The colouration in this group is less dependable and usually varies a lot from one year to the next and even between different plantations in the same area.

Usually the colouration only occurs inside the fruit and there is no pigmentation of the peel, but curiously enough one of the well-known varieties in this group, the Washington Sanguine and other Doblefina varieties do often show some pigmentation of the skin as well when grown in optimal conditions.

The most important feature that sets this group apart from the full and deep blood oranges is that the colouration is caused only by the carotenoid pigment lycopene. The colour of the Cara Cara and Ruby varieties is a beautiful shade of red in the flesh. In the most lightly coloured fruit the colour of the juice sometimes does not differ from the juice of other oranges although the flesh is coloured.


Washington Sanguine (bottom picture) is a variant of the Doblefine full blood orange. It is grown in many orange growing districts of the world and also known as:  Bahia Sanguinea, de Malte, Grosse Ronde, Grosse Sanguine, Pedro Veyrat, Sanguine Grosse Ronde, Washington Sangre and Doublefine Améliorée. 

Other well-known light blood oranges include:
Citrus sinensis ’Sanguine’
Citrus sinensis ’Vainiglia Sanguine’
Citrus sinensis ’Saint Michael’  ('St. Michel')

 ENG Red Navel, Ruby and Washington Sanguine light blood oranges
FRA Oranges demi-sanguines Cara cara, Ruby et Doublefine améliorée. 
Photos     © UCR Citrus Variety Collection
(3) © C. Jacquemond / INRA
         




 

Full blood oranges
(Common blood oranges)
 
 LAT Citrus sinensis sp. Citrus sinensis 'Bream Tarocco'


Citrus sinensis 'Sanguinello Moscato'


Citrus sinensis 'Thermal Tarocco'

    
Citrus sinensis 'Bream Tarocco'

Citrus sinensis 'Sanguinello Moscato' 
Citrus sinensis 'Thermal Tarocco'


 

The full blood oranges have both flesh and juice of a strong red colour. In many varieties the skin also develops varying amounts of pigmentation. In addition to the lycopene that colours the light blood oranges, the deep blood oranges are coloured also by anthocyanin pigments.

Bream Tarocco
has the same amount of anthocyanin that colours pomegranates red.
It is a medium-large to large blood orange variety with few to no seeds. The distinctive colour requires a chilly winter to develop properly.

Sanguinello Moscato (middle picture) is probably the most highly reputed blood orange in Europe. It grows on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily where it is one of the principal varieties and its superiority has given it the name Paterno orange, after a nearby town. The tree is vigorous, large, symmetrical in form; very productive with most of the crop borne inside, where it is protected against climatic vicissitudes and uniformity in pigmentation is favoured.


Thermal Tarocco is a variant of the Tarocco deep blood orange. It comes from Thermal, California. Tarocco blood oranges belong to the major blood orange varieties of the world.


Other well-known full blood oranges include:
'Doblefine', also known as
: Blood Oval, Doble fina, Oval doblefina, Oval sangre, Sanguina doble fina and Rojo oval. 
'Maltaise Sanguine' (Maltese Blood) which develops a strong pigmentation in favourable conditions but in certain growing areas produces only lycopene and is therefore considered a light blood orange.

 ENG Bream Tarocco, Sanguinello Moscato and Thermal Tarocco full blood oranges.
FRA Oranges Sanguines Tarocco Rosso, Sanguinello Moscato et Thermal Tarocco 
Photos   © UCR Citrus Variety Collection 
        



 


Deep blood oranges
(Double blood oranges)
 
 LAT Citrus sinensis sp. Citrus sinensis 'Tarocco'



Citrus sinensis 'Spanish Sanguinelli'



Citrus sinensis 'Moro'
  
Citrus sinensis 'Tarocco'
Citrus sinensis 'Spanish Sanguinelli'
Citrus sinensis 'Moro'


 
 
The three varieties most certain of blood colouration under a wide variety of conditions and most intense in pigmentation under favourable conditions are Tarocco, Spanish Sanguinelli and Moro. The deep colouration is also due to the amounts of both lycopene and anthocyanin present in the ripe fruit. The deep blood oranges can have up to twice as much colour pigment as the full blood varieties. The skins of ripe full blood oranges can have as much anthocyanin as the skins of ripe dark grapes. Some say the colour of fully ripe Moro juice resembles the colour of the best wines from Burgundy.

It is especially the flavour of the ripe fruit that is appreciated. Connoisseurs discern flavours and aromas of ripe cherry, passion fruit and chocolate.

Tarocco is considered one of the most delicious blood orange varieties although, depending on the climate, the rind sometimes gets very little or no colouration. The tree is vigorous, but only moderately productive.

Spanish Sanguinelli is a late midseason blood orange variety from Spain, which originated as a limbsport of Doblefina that came to light about 1950. The fruit is said to be similar to Doblefina, but larger, seedier, and often asymmetrical; persistent in style; blood colouration of both rind and flesh much more intense and constant. External red pigmentation rarely equalled by other blood oranges and excelled by none, making the fruit most attractive. Reported to hold on tree longer than Doblefina and to store and ship fully as well or better. Spanish Sanguinelli is the preferred name to distinguish this new variety from the Italian light blood group (singular sanguinella, plural sanguinelli).
Spanish Sanguinelli is also known as: Sanguinilla Negra, Allota and Blutoval.

Moro is perhaps the best-known blood orange. The rind is medium-thick, moderately adherent, and somewhat pebbled. Orange-coloured at maturity with light pink blush or red streaks at advanced maturity. Moro is the most highly-coloured of the blood oranges
owing to the high amount of anthocyanin pigment. Flesh is deeply pigmented (almost violet-red); juicy; the flavour is pleasant. Very early in maturity (earliest of the commercial blood oranges), but holds well on the tree and stores and ships well.  A distinctive aroma develops with advanced maturity, but flavour deteriorates if held too long in storage and becomes objectionable to some.

Other common deep blood oranges include:
Citrus sinensis cv. 'Sanguinello Commune' and
Citrus sinensis cv. 'Sanguigno' (Sanguigno semplice)

The pictures are of fruit that have grown in optimal conditions and have reached full maturity. Fluctuations in colour can be significant from one year to another.

 ENG Tarocco, Spanish Sanguinelli and Moro deep blood oranges.
FRA Oranges sanguines Tarocco, Sanguinelli et Moro.
Photos   © UCR Citrus Variety Collection
         


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