Oceanic Lychee

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Oceanic Lychee
• Fijian longan
• kasai
• megan
• taun

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pometia pinnata f. tomentosa
• Aporetica pinnata
• Pometia glabra
• Eccremanthus eximius
• Pometia gracilis
• Pometia pinnata var. javanica
• Pometia lecomtei
• Pometia pinnata f. glabra
• Pometia macrocarpa
• Irina tomentosa var. alnifolia
• Pometia tomentosa
• Pometia pinnata f. alnifolia
• Pometia coriacea
• Pometia pinnata f. cuspidata
• Pometia tomentosa var. cuspidata
• Pometia acuminata
• Irina tomentosa var. cuspidata
• Pometia alnifolia
• Pometia pinnata f. acuminata
• Pometia annamica
• Pometia pinnata f. macrocarpa
• Pometia tomentosa var. ferruginea
• Dabanus pinnatus
• Dabanus tomentosus
• Irina alnifolia
• Irina diplocardia
• Irina tomentosa
• Nephelium diplocardia
• Dabanus acuminatus
• Pometia eximia
• Nephelium pinnatum
• Euphoria pinnata
• Pometia pinnata f. repanda
• Irina glabra
• Diplocardia excelsa
• Aphania neoebudica
• Cnesmocarpus excelsus
• Nephelium eximium
• Nephelium acuminatum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and is classified under the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Sapindales, it is further categorized into the family Sapindaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Pometia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning several distinct regions across Asia. In China, its presence is primarily concentrated within the South-Central areas. Moving toward Eastern Asia, the species can be found growing in Taiwan. Its distribution extends into the Indian Subcontinent, specifically reaching the island of Sri Lanka. Finally, within the Indo-China region, it is located in both the Andaman Islands and Laos.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Pometia pinnata is characterized by a highly specific niche within its native habitats, particularly defined by its low-altitude distribution. The species is strictly restricted to a narrow elevational range, occurring at a consistent altitude of 40 m AMSL. This specific elevational profile, where both the minimum and maximum elevational range are recorded at 40 m AMSL, suggests a specialization for lowland environments, likely within coastal or riverine ecosystems where consistent humidity and tropical temperatures are prevalent. Such precise altitudinal constraints indicate that the plant is highly adapted to the stable environmental conditions found near sea level, playing a specialized role within the low-lying tropical strata.

Elevational range max:

40 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Pometiia pinnata is characterized by its existence as a perennial organism, ensuring its presence across multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation typical of larger woody plants. This species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout much of the year, providing consistent photosynthetic activity. Its classification as a phanerophyte is consistent across different botanical descriptors, highlighting its growth habit as a tree or large shrub with elevated meristematic tissue.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pometia pinnata is characterized by its massive stature as a woody tree, which functions as a self-supporting growth form rather than a climber or liana. It is a terrestrial species that exists independently as a non-parasitic organism, lacking any epiphytic tendencies. The plant is capable of reaching significant dimensions, with a mean height of approximately 40 m and a maximum height that can extend up to 50 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

50 m

Plant height mean:

40 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Pometiia pinnata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a standard carbon fixation process typical of many woody species. The plant's vegetative structure features leaves with an elliptic form and finely toothed margins, which vary in dimensions from a minimum length of 0.4 cm to a maximum of 3 cm, and a width ranging from 0.25 cm to 5 cm. Morphologically, the foliage lacks specialized defensive or water-storing adaptations, as it exhibits no succulence and possesses neither leaf thorns nor leaf spines. In terms of structural composition, the stem possesses a specific density (SSD) with a mean value of 640 mg/cm³, contributing to its physical integrity. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nutrient availability for its metabolic requirements.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

3 cm

Leaf length min:

0.4 cm

Leaf margin :

finely toothed

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

5 cm

Leaf width min:

0.25 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

640 mg/cm³

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Pometiia pinnata is characterized by a diverse range of morphological traits across its reproductive structures, beginning with its inflorescence, which can vary in length from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 0.7 m. The plant produces fleshy fruits that exhibit significant variability in dimensions; the fruit length typically averages around 3 cm, ranging from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 5 cm, while the fruit width remains consistent at approximately 2 cm (with minimum, mean, and maximum values all recorded at 2 cm). Within these fruits, the seeds possess a mean mass of approximately 0.668335 g, with values ranging from 0.66667 g to a maximum of 0.67 g. These seeds are characterized by a maximum length of 25 mm and a consistent seed volume of 8200 mm³, which is reflected across its minimum, mean, and maximum recorded measurements. The dispersal of the species is highly versatile, utilizing a broad dispersal syndrome that includes anemochorous, anthropochorous, autochorous, endozoochorous, epizoochorous, hydrochorous, myrmecochorous, unspecialized, and zoochorous mechanisms.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

5 cm

Fruit length mean:

3 cm

Fruit length min:

1.5 cm

Fruit width max:

2 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.7 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.15 m

Seed length max:

25 mm

Seed mass max:

0.67 g

Seed mass mean:

0.668335 g

Seed mass min:

0.66667 g

Seed volume max:

8200 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Pometia pinnata has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.

Leaf

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Stem

1. Phytochemistry

Chemicals

Pometia pinnata has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Hederagenin, Saponins.

Hederagenin

1. Phytochemistry

Saponins

1. Phytochemistry

Preparations

Pometia pinnata has 1 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include stem.

Stem

1. Phytochemistry