Dimocarpus longan Lour.

Loureiro, J. (1790) Flora Cochinchinensis : 233. Type: Neotype: Lioa & Kuo 1598, Taiwan, Tafu, Miaoli, 12 - 7 - 1965 (L; iso : TAI).

Longan

Usually a small tree.

Leaflet blades about 4.5-12 x 1.6-3 cm, unequal-sided, particularly towards the base, lateral veins curving but not forming definite loops inside the blade margin, midrib +/- flush with the upper surface. Small streaky oil dots just visible with a lens. Lenticels aggregated into lines on the twigs.

Calyx about 4 mm long. Petals about 3 mm long. Staminal filaments clothed in erect hairs. Ovary stellate hairy, +/- glandular.

Fruit about 15-25 mm diam., surface +/- textured but not conspicuously raised or warted. Aril firm, resembling litchi (Litchi chinensis) in taste, enclosing the seed. Seeds almost black.

First pair of leaves compound with 2-4 leaflets. At the tenth leaf stage: leaflet blades somewhat unequal-sided and attenuate at the base, apex acuminate. Midrib raised on the upper surface; lateral veins curving just inside the blade margin but not forming definite loops. Seed germination time 10 days.

An introduced species originally from China, widely cultivated in Australia and now naturalised in NEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 750 m. Grows on farmland and in rain forest regrowth.