Nephelium lappaceum

Nephelium lappaceum

 The biggest plant dictionary | Sterculia foetida | Nephelium lappaceum is an evergreen tree about 10-12 m tall; principal trunk is erect with an open crown of large branches; bark is slightly rugose, greyish or red. Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound without an end-leaflet. On the lower surface of each leaflet are the domatia, small crater-like hills located in the axils between the mid and secondary veins.

The function of the domatia is unknown. Inflorescence pseudo-terminal to usually terminal; flowers either male (only stamens well developed; trees dioecious) or hermaphrodite (trees monoecious), the latter either effectively female (stamens small, anther not dehiscing) or male (stigma not opening), actinomorphic, whitish, yellowish or greenish; sepals 4-5(7), nearly free to more than halfway connate, 0.7-2.1 mm long; petals usually absent, sometimes up to 4 reduced ones, not exceeding 1.6 mm; disk complete, hairy or glabrous. Fruit an ellipsoid to subglobular schizocarp, up to 7 x 5 cm, weighing 20-95 g, usually consisting of only 1 nutlet, yellowish to purplish-red, hardly stalked, often finally dehiscing (at least the apical part), glabrous, usually densely set with filiform, curved, 0.5-2 cm long appendages; wall coriaceous, up to 2.5 mm thick. Seed covered by a usually thick, juicy, white to yellow, translucent sarcotesta. The specific name stems from the Latin word ‘lappaceus’ meaning ‘bur-like’ and refers to the fruit appendages. The word rambutan is derived from the Malay word ‘hair,’ which describes the numerous, characterizing, long, soft, red or red and green coloured spine-like protuberances (spinterns) on the surface of the fruit.

Nephelium lappaceum

 Indonesia called "Rambutan" fruit is round or slightly oval and once the skin is removed, the translucent fruit has a sweet/sour flavour. Mature fruits have dark red skin with either red hairs or red hairs with green tips, depending on the variety. Unripe fruits have a pinkish/greenish/yellowish skin. Each fruit has a single shiny brown seed inside.

Rambutan fruits should be left to ripen on the trees as they do not keep a long time once picked. If possible, try to buy Rambutans that are still attached to small branches as they will keep a little longer. Rambutans are best eaten fresh but can also be made into jam. Canned Rambutans have also become widely available.