Longan
From Free net encyclopedia
Current revision
{{Taxobox | color = lightgreen | name = Longan | image = Longans.jpg | image_width = 240px | image_caption = Longan fruit | regnum = Plantae | divisio = Magnoliophyta | classis = Magnoliopsida | ordo = Sapindales | familia = Sapindaceae | genus = Dimocarpus | species = D. longan | binomial = Dimocarpus longan | binomial_authority = Lour. }}
The longan (Template:Zh-stp; Cantonese long-ngan; Vietnamese long nhãn - literally "dragon eye") is an evergreen tree native to southeast Asia from southern China south to Indonesia.
The fruit is edible, and is often used in East Asian soups, snacks, desserts, and sweet-and-sour foods. They are round with a thin, brown-coloured inedible shell. The flesh of the fruit, which surrounds a big, black seed, is white, soft, and juicy.
Longans and lychees come out in around the same time of the year. Dried longan (Template:Zh-cpl) are often used in Chinese food therapy and herbal medicine. It is considered to possess a nourishing property. Contrary to the fresh counterpart, the flesh of dried longans is dark brown to almost black.
 Longan fruit section |
See also
Longans are not to be confused with loganberries.