Citrus — Botany, Diversity & Data
Context
Citrus is a personal research and data exploration project that brings together my background in botany and my work in data analysis and visualization. The project explores the diversity of citrus species and cultivars through data, combining botanical classification, geographic origins, genetic relationships, and cultural histories.
Citrus plants form a complex botanical system shaped by hybridization, domestication, and human movement. This project uses data as a lens to better understand that complexity and to make it visible.
Project Type
Personal Research
Botanical Data · Exploratory Analysis · Visual Storytelling
Objectives
- Structure and analyze citrus taxonomic and varietal data
- Explore relationships between species, hybrids, and cultivars
- Map geographic origins and diffusion paths
- Translate botanical complexity into readable visual forms
Data
The project draws on a combination of sources:
- Botanical taxonomies and classifications
- Species, hybrid, and cultivar descriptions
- Geographic origin and cultivation zones
- Morphological traits (fruit, leaf, flowering characteristics)
- Historical and cultural references
Data was curated, normalized, and enriched to enable cross-analysis between biological, geographic, and historical dimensions.
Approach
1. Botanical Structuring
I began by structuring citrus data according to botanical logic: species, hybrids, and cultivar groupings. Particular attention was paid to ambiguity, overlap, and contested classifications, which are inherent to citrus botany.
2. Data Modeling + Exploration
A flexible data model was designed to allow multiple readings of the same system:
- Taxonomic relationships
- Hybridization pathways
- Geographic diffusion
- Trait-based clustering
This enabled exploratory analysis without forcing artificial hierarchies.
3. Visualization + Interpretation
Visualizations were developed to support thinking and interpretation, not just presentation:
- Relationship diagrams between species and hybrids
- Geographic maps of origin and spread
- Trait comparison charts
- Temporal views of domestication and cultivation
Selected Visual Explorations
Selected visuals from the project.
(Replace image paths with your actual charts.)
Insights
- Citrus diversity cannot be fully understood through linear taxonomies
- Hybridization plays a central role in shaping modern cultivars
- Geographic diffusion mirrors historical trade and migration routes
- Data visualization helps reveal botanical relationships that are difficult to grasp through text alone
Why This Project Matters
This project sits at the intersection of science, culture, and data. It reflects my belief that data work is not only about optimization and performance, but also about understanding living systems and communicating their complexity with care.
Citrus is both a scientific inquiry and a creative exploration — a space where botanical knowledge meets analytical structure.
Role
Research · Data Modeling · Analysis · Visualization
End-to-end personal project.
About This Work
Citrus embodies Danki Studio’s broader philosophy:
observe carefully, structure thoughtfully, and visualize with intention.
It is a reminder that data can be a tool not only for decision-making, but also for learning, curiosity, and connection.