Litchi

Related Category: Plants

(lē´chē), Chinese tree (Litchi chinensis) of the family Sapindaceae (soapberry family), having a small, aromatic, pulpy fruit in a thin, rough shell. It is the best-known Chinese fruit and a favorite with the Chinese, who use it fresh, dried, or preserved. In commerce it is usually seen dried, in which form it appears as a nut with a raisinlike center. The juicy pulp is also canned. The tree is now grown in other warm countries and to some extent in the United States in S Florida and California. Among variant spellings are leechee, lichee, and lychee. Litchis are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Sapindales, family Sapindaceae.