longan

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• dragon's-eye
• longan

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Scytalia longan
• Euphoria longan

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known as Dimocarpus longan, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Sapindales and the family Sapindaceae. Its taxonomic journey concludes within the genus Dimocarpus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found across various regions of East and Southeast Asia. In China, its presence is widespread, spanning from the South-Central provinces to the island of Hainan and throughout the Southeast regions. The species also has a significant distribution in Eastern Asia, specifically within Taiwan. Beyond the Asian continent, its range extends to the Western Indian Ocean. There, it can be found growing on the island of Réunion.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Dimocarpus longan is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term presence within its ecological niche. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation that supports its substantial growth habit. This species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its lush foliage throughout the seasons without undergoing a complete seasonal shedding of leaves. Its growth strategy is further defined by its phanerophyte life form, which facilitates its development into a large, woody tree capable of enduring multiple reproductive cycles over many years.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Dimocarpus longan is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, typically reaching a mean height of 18.5 m, with a maximum height that can extend up to 20 m. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic lifestyles, existing instead as an independent organism rather than a parasite or a hemi-epiphyte. The plant is strictly self-supporting in its structure, lacking any climbing tendencies such as liana or vine habits. Its overall development is defined by a robust, woody constitution consistent with its stature as a large, free-standing tree.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

20 m

Plant height mean:

18.5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Dimocarpus longan is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency under typical environmental conditions. In terms of its structural composition, the plant exhibits a stem specific density (SSD) with a mean value of 906 mg/cm³, reflecting the mechanical strength and wood density of its vegetative tissues. Furthermore, Dimocarpus longan does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil rather than establishing symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to fulfill its nutritional requirements.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

906 mg/cm³

Reproduction

Reproduction in Dimocarpus longan is characterized by a fleshy fruit structure and a specific reproductive capacity for self-fertilization, which is present in the species. The seeds produced within the fleshy fruit exhibit significant morphological variation in both mass and volume. The seed mass ranges from a minimum of 0.6 g to a maximum of 1.338 g, with an average seed mass of 0.969 g. Similarly, the seed volume fluctuates between a minimum of 820 mm³ and a maximum of 1100 mm³, maintaining a mean seed volume of 960 mm³.

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed mass max:

1.338 g

Seed mass mean:

0.969 g

Seed mass min:

0.6 g

Seed volume max:

1100 mm³

Seed volume mean:

960 mm³

Seed volume min:

820 mm³

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Dimocarpus longan has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit.

Fruit

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Dimocarpus longan has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Corilagin, FLAVANONE.

Corilagin

1. BioMed research international
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

FLAVANONE

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Activities

Dimocarpus longan has 5 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antitumor, Hepatoprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Food chemistry
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Food chemistry
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Anticancer

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antitumor

1. BioMed research international

Hepatoprotective

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Dimocarpus longan has 8 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, cancer, dysentery, inflammation, obesity.

Alzheimer's disease

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin

Cancer

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Dysentery

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Inflammation

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Obesity

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Oxidative stress

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin

Parasitic infections

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Rheumatism

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Dimocarpus longan has 3 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, honey, water-soluble extract.

Aqueous extract

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Honey

1. Food chemistry

Water-soluble extract

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin