Native lychee
Dimocarpus australianus

Family: Sapindaceae

What it is like

A medium size tree. It grows 8-15 m tall and spreads 3-8 m wide. The leaves are divided into leaflets along the stalk. The leaves are 10-18 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. There are 2-6 leaflets. They are oval with a blunt tip. They are grey green above and yellowish green underneath. Leaflets are 6.5-9.5 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. The flowers are greenish yellow. They are about 0.5 cm across. They occur in panicles on the ends of branches. The fruit is a reddish brown capsule. It has 2 lobes and is about 2 cm across. The aril is edible.

There are about 5-6 Dimocarpus species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It suits tropical and subtropical regions. It grows in rainforests in Queensland in Australia. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 660 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The fruit is like a lychee and is tasty.

Edible parts

Aril, fruit

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed which must be sown fresh.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Euphoria