Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
9
Litchi (
Litchi chinensis
Sonn.) and longan (
Dimocarpus longan
(Lour.) Steud) are
members of the
Sapindaceae
. These sub-tropical and tropical trees, respectively,
are grown widely in the tropics. The fruit is marketed fresh, dried, canned and
as juice.
BOTANY
The
Sapindaceae
is composed of around 150 genera and 2000 species of trees,
shrubs, and a few herbs and vines, usually monoecious, distributed widely in
the warm tropics and subtropics. The common family name soapberry refers
to the tree (
Sapindus saponaria
L.), a native of tropical America producing a
fruit containing a soap-like substance (37% saponin). The majority of species
are native to Asia, with a few species in South America, Africa and Australia.
Among the numerous genera, four related genera and fi ve species are of
interest to the fruit horticulturist:
1.
Blighia sapida
Koenig, the Jamaican akee, is native to Guinea and is com-
monly grown in the Caribbean Islands, particularly in Jamaica. The brightly
coloured yellow to red fruit has thick walls in three parts, each containing a
white nut-fl avoured pulp with a shiny black seed attached at the tip. Pulp from
immature or overripe fruit and the pink raphe attaching the aril to the seed are
poisonous. When the pods open naturally, the pulp can be fried or boiled. When
fried, it resembles scrambled eggs.
2.
Dimocarpus longan
(Lour.) Steud., longan, lungan, langngan, dragon eye
(English), lengkeng (Malaysia, Indonesia), longanier, oeil de dragon (French),
lamyai pa (Thailand), or nhan (Vietnam) is reported to have originated
in north-eastern India, Burma or southern China in the Yunan province.
Commonly called dragon eye, the trees attain heights of 9-12 m under suitable
environments and it is more vigorous than the litchi (Menzel
et al.
, 1988b).
The longan is generally grown in similar areas to that of litchi in China and
Thailand but climatic requirements are less exacting.
