408 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



Longan- 



LITCHI Dimoca'rpus litchi. LONGAN 

 Dimocat-pus longan. 



These fruits are natives of the south of China, 

 where they are held in the highest estimation. 

 They have thence been introduced into many parts of 

 the East Indies, and to the gardens of the curious in 

 some places of Europe. John Knight, Esq., of Lee 

 Castle, near Kidderminster, presented the Horti- 

 cultural Society with some of the fruit that had 

 ripened in his hot-house in 1816, and it was found 

 to be as good as that which is produced in China. 

 The litchi was introduced into this country by the cele- 

 brated Warren Hastings, Esq., in 1786: the longan 

 had been introduced before. 



The trees on which these fruits are produced have 

 a considerable resemblance to each other, are, in 

 fact, so much alike, that they are distinguished only 

 by the flowers of the litchi being without petals, while 



