10 June, 1919.] The Litchi. 371 



THE LITCHI. 



By J. W. Audas, F.L.S., F. 11. M.S., Assistant, National Ilerharium, 



Melbourne. 



Litchi or Lee-chee (Nepheliuni Lit-chi) is one of the most delicious 

 of all Chinese fruits. The tree which produces it belongs to the natural 

 order Sapindaceae, and is grown in the Southern Provinces of China and 

 in the Northern Province of Cochin-China, where it has been in cultiva- 

 tion for possibly 2,000 years. ' It is also cultivated in the West Indies, 

 and has been grown in Florida. There are several varieties, but the 

 commonest is that producing fruit nearly round, about 1-| inches in 

 diameter, with a thin, brittle shell of a red colour when ripe, covered all 

 over with rough, wart-like protuberances. Though the litchi is essentially 

 a tropical and sub-tropical tree, and does not adapt itself readily to 

 climates differing widely from that of its original home, consequently 

 it is more likely to be successfully grown in Queensland than in Victoria, 

 but some litchi trees have been successfully grown by Chinese in this 

 State, and have fruited well. It appears, therefore, that attention should 

 be given to the cultivation of the tree in tho§e parts of Victoria where 

 the climate is found to be suitable. 



The litchi is a handsome evergreen tree growing from 15 to 20 feet 

 high, with alternate pinnate leaves about 3 inches long, and of a thick 

 leathery texture. The flowers are arranged in axillary and terminal 

 slender panicles. These are succeeded by fruit of a globular prickly 

 nature, of which the edible portion is a sweet, semi-transparent, jelly- 

 like 'pulp, or aril covering the seed. 



The Chinese dry the fruit, which then becomes blackish, and in that 

 state large quantities are annunally imported into Australia. The 

 fruit is also sold in China in glas^jars. Although they are naturally 

 inferior to the fresh fruit, -they still preserve some of their rich 

 flavour. The fruit is preserved by simply drying it, and it 

 is stated by an authority that " the Chinese use it in their tea, to 

 which it communicates its fine sub-acid flavour, which is preferred to 

 the sweetness of sugar." Another authority says — " In the lower Pro- 

 vinces of India it is almost co-extensively cultivated with the mango. 

 It comes into season a little before that fruit, and in the larger cities, 

 such as Calcutta, is sold in every fruit-dealer's shop, the streets for a 

 month or six weeks being literally bestrewni with the rind and large 

 seeds rejected by the wayside consumers." The fruit to he fully appre- 

 ciated must, however, be eaten as soon after being picked as possible. 



Australian Species. 



There are about thirteen species of Nephelium native to Australia, 

 all of which are found in the eastern portion of the continent. One 

 species, Nephelium leiocarpum, is indigenous as far south as East 

 Gippsland.- They are mostly trees of from 20 to 60 feet high. Some 

 of them .are highly ornamental, and are well worth cultivation in parks 

 and gardens in suitable districts. 



