Litchi
Litchi, commonly known as lychee, is a tropical fruit renowned for its sweet, succulent flesh and aromatic fragrance. Beyond its delicious taste, it offers significant medicinal benefits, including boosting immunity, aiding digestion, and providing essential antioxidants that support skin health and combat oxidative stress in the human body.
- Scientific name: Litchi
- Family: Sapindaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Sapindales. Finally, it resides in the family Sapindaceae under the genus Litchi.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Sapindaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Litchi | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant is known by various common names depending on the language and region. In Vietnamese, it is referred to as Chi Vải, while in Chinese, it is identified as 荔枝属, 荔枝属, or 荔枝屬 depending on the specific script used (zh, zh-cn, or zh-tw). Additionally, in Slovenian, it is called liči.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| vi | Chi Vải | Wikidata |
| zh | 荔枝属 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 荔枝属 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 荔枝屬 | Wikidata |
| sl | liči | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 荔枝属 | Wikidata |
| cs | liči | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across Asia and the Indian Ocean islands. In East Asia, it is found within the provinces of Hainan and China Southeast. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, the species is specifically documented in the region of Assam. Its range also extends into the Western Indian Ocean, where it grows in Mauritius. Additionally, the plant can be located on the island of Réunion within the same oceanic region.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Western Indian Ocean | Mauritius | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Réunion | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | East Himalaya | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | India | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Andaman Is. | WCVP |
| Indo-China | Cambodia | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as lychee, offers various components that can be utilized for different purposes. The most consumed part is the sweet, translucent pulp, which is widely enjoyed for its flavor and nutritional content. Surrounding this flesh is the pericarp, the leathery red skin that protects the inner fruit. Additionally, the litchi seed located at the center is also of interest, as it contains various bioactive compounds that are often studied for their specific medicinal properties.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 4
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| litchi seed | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pulp | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pericarp | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Litchi has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Procyanidins.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Procyanidins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |