Longan

This article is about the fruit and tree. For other uses, see Long'an (disambiguation). For places in China, see Longnan and Longyan.
Not to be confused with Loganberry.

Longan
Photograph of a broadly spreading tree
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Dimocarpus
Species:
D. longan
Binomial name
Dimocarpus longan
Synonyms[2]
  • Dimocarpus undulatus Wight
  • Euphoria cinerea (Turcz.) Radlk.
  • Dimocarpus leichhardtiiS.T. Reynolds
  • Euphoria glabra Blume
  • Euphoria gracilis Radlk.
  • Euphoria leichhardtii Benth.
  • Euphoria longan (Lour.) Steud.
  • Euphoria longana Lam.
  • Euphoria malaiensis (Griff.) Radlk.
  • Euphoria microcarpa Radlk.
  • Euphoria nephelioides Radlk.
  • Euphoria verruculosa Salisb.
  • Nephelium longan (Lour.) Hook.
  • Nephelium longana Cambess.
Longan
"Longan" in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters
Traditional Chinese龍眼
Simplified Chinese龙眼
Literal meaning'dragon eye'
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinlóngyǎn
Bopomofoㄌㄨㄥˊ　ㄧㄢˇ
Wade–Gileslung2-yen3
IPA[lʊ̌ŋ.jɛ̀n]
Wu
Suzhouneselón-ngê
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationlùhng-ngáahn
Jyutpinglung4-ngaan5
IPA[lʊŋ˩.ŋan˩˧]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJlêng-géng
Tâi-lôlîng-gíng

Dimocarpus longan, commonly known as the longan (/ˈlɒŋɑːn/) and dragon's eye, is a tropical tree species that produces edible fruit.[3] It is one of the better-known tropical members of the soapberry family Sapindaceae, to which the lychee and rambutan also belong.[3] The fruit of the longan is similar to that of the lychee, but is less aromatic in taste.[4]

The longan (from Vietnamese long nhãn,[5] close to Cantonese lùhng ngáahn 龍眼, literally 'dragon eye'), is so named because the black seed within the shelled fruit creates the appearance of an eyeball. The plant is native to tropical Asia and China.[6]

  1. ^ Barstow, M. (2022). "Dimocarpus longan". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T32399A67808402. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Dimocarpus longan". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 5 September 2016 – via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
  3. ^ a b Morton, Julia F. (1987). Longan; In: Fruits of Warm Climates. W. Lafayette, IN, USA: NewCrop, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University. pp. 259–262.
  4. ^ Pham, V.T.; Herrero, M. (2016). "Fruiting pattern in longan, Dimocarpus longan: from pollination to aril development" (PDF). Annals of Applied Biology. 169 (3): 357–368. doi:10.1111/aab.12306. hdl:10261/135703.
  5. ^ Loureiro, J. de (1790). Flora Cochinchinensis (in Latin). Vol. I. Lisbon: Ulyssipone.
  6. ^ "Dimocarpus longan". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 11 December 2017.