Nephelium lappaceum

Nephelium lappaceum

Biggest Plant Dictionary | Nephelium lappaceum | Current name: Nephelium lappaceum, Family: Sapindaceae. Trees, evergreen, ca. 10 m tall. Branches grayish brown, terete, rugose, ferruginous pilosulose when young. Leaves with petiole 15-45 cm, axis slightly strong, rugose when dry; leaflets (1 or)2 or 3(or 4) pairs; petiolules ca. 5 mm; blades elliptic or obovate, 6-18 × 4-7.5 cm, thinly leathery, glabrous, lateral veins 7-9 pairs, brownish red when dry, only prominent abaxially, net veins slightly honeycombed, visible on both surfaces when dry, base cuneate, margin entire, apex obtuse or slightly rounded, sometimes nearly acute. Inflorescences many branched, nearly as long as or longer than leaves, ferruginous tomentose. Pedicels short. Calyx ca. 2 mm, leathery; sepals ovate, tomentose. Petals absent. Stamens ca. 3 mm. Fruit reddish yellow, broadly ellipsoid, including spines ca. 5 × 4.5 cm, spines ca. 1 cm.

Nephelium lappaceum

Natural Habitat.Nephelium lappaceum, thrives in humid tropical lowlands within about 17 degrees from the equator. The trees occur in the lower or middle storey in different types of primary and secondary forest ranging from dryland to swamp. Exposure to dry winds leads to browning of the leaf margins; sheltered locations or wind screens are recommended. Low relative humidity and strong wind during fruiting could cause excessive moisture loss from fruit spinterns and result in poor fruit appearance.