SAPINDACEAE 237 



The saponin is contained in the inner surface of the seed covering. 

 The seeds are round and black. They are often strung into necklaces 

 and rosaries. The soft, yellow-white wood is manufactured into small 

 articles, notably combs. 



EUPHORIA 



Deciduous trees. Leaves pinnate. Flowers regular; calyx 5 parted; 

 petals spatulate or lanceolate; stamens usually 8 (6~8) ; stigma 2. Fruit 

 globose, ellipsoid, with a more or less warty coat. 



Euphoria longana Lamarck. 



(Xephelium longana (Lam.) Gambessedes.) 



Tree 8-12 m. tall. Leaflets 2-5 pairs, opposite or alternate, elliptic 

 to ovate or lanceolate, entire, subcoriaceous, pale green, to 30 cm. long. 

 Inflorescence in large terminal or axillary panicles; flowers small, 

 fragrant, yellow, pubescent; calyx deeply 5 parted; petals 5, spatulate ; 

 disk large, lobed; stamens 8; stigma and ovary lobed. Fruit globose, 

 witli a slightly warty, brown coat later becoming smooth, containing a 

 white, fleshy, edible aril surrounding a large, dark brown seed. 



Central and Southern China. 



This tree produces the well known Long-an fruits. Extensively 

 cultivated. 



Litchi is distinguished from Euphoria chiefly by its fruits which have 

 a thin red coat covered with warty protuberances. Litchi and Euphoria 

 have been placed by some botanists under Nephelium from which both 

 differ by having the arillus or fleshy pulp free from the seed. Only 1 

 species of Litchi is known. 



Litchi chinensis Sonnerat (1S06). 

 (Litchi lichi Linn.) (Lour.) (Britton.) 

 (Dimocarpus lichi Lonreiro) (1790.) 

 (Euphoria sinensis Linmeus) (1791.) 



Widely cultivated in Southern China, and truly wild in the Island 

 of Hainan. The wood is reddish, extremely hard, close grained, heavy, 

 strong, and durable, much used by the aborigines of Hainan for the 

 making of mortars and pestles with which the rice is hulled. 



