Dimocarpus longan

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Dimocarpus longan

Description

Shrub or tree to 30 m tall; stems ferruginous-tomentose glabrescent. Leaves paripinnate; petiole plus rachis terete, 8-20.5 cm long, puberulent, smooth or striate; petiolules 4-5 mm long, puberulent; leaflets (2) 4-5 (9) pairs, opposite or subopposite, chartaceous or subcoriaceous, adaxially glabrous and lustrous, abaxially puberulent, and slightly paler than the adaxial surface, oblong to oblanceolate, 3-19 × 1.8-6 cm, the apex obtuse to subrounded, the base asymmetrical, obtuse-acute, the margins crenate, revolute. Inflorescences of axillary, paniculate thyrses 8-12 cm long, axes puberulent to tomentulose. Sepals ovate, 2-5 mm long, green, tomentulose; petals ca. 3 mm long, white, spatulate, adaxially pubescent; disc annular, pubescent; stamens 8, ca. 6 mm long, filaments densely pubescent at base. Fruits often developing a single, globose mericarp, ca. 1.2 cm long, pericarp coriaceous, sooth and granulate, tanish brown, glabrous, the inner surface glabrous, cream. Seeds nearly globose, ca. 1 cm long, dark brown to black, shiny, totally covered by a fleshytranslucent aril, leaving a large semicircular hilum at base when removed.

Distribution

Asia, tropics cultivated
The Longan is native to Asia, but is widely cultivated in the tropics for its edible fruits.