Podudaranjas

Podudaranjas is a fictional genus of flowering plants in the family Rutaceae, introduced in literature on speculative botany as part of the flora of the Zephyria Archipelago. The genus contains two described species, Podudaranjas aurantia and Podudaranjas maritima, both endemics of coastal habitats on several Zephyrian islands.

Podudaranjas plants are evergreen shrubs or small trees, typically 2 to 4 meters tall. Leaves are glossy, oval, and arranged alternately. The flowers are small, white to pale pink, arranged in terminal clusters and highly scented. The fruit is a spherical orange drupe, 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter, with a thick aromatic rind and sweet-tart flesh.

The genus was described by botanist Elena K. Ríos in a 2142 survey, with the name Podudaranjas deriving from the local Zephyrian term podudar for orange and the Latin -aranjas as a taxonomic suffix used in the fictional flora. It is placed in the family Rutaceae, related to true citrus.

Podudaranjas is endemic to the Zephyria Archipelago, where species inhabit coastal scrub, dune systems, and rocky cliffs with sandy soils. They tolerate saline spray and full sun, and are occasionally cultivated in ornamental gardens for their fruit and fragrance.

Fruits are edible when processed, with a sweet-tangy flavor. The essential oils from leaves and rind are used in perfumery and traditional medicine in the archipelago. Pollination is mainly by bees and butterflies; seed dispersal is aided by frugivorous birds. Conservation status has not been assessed in this fictional framework, but habitat loss due to coastal development is cited as a potential risk.