Botanical name : Litchi chinensis Sonn.
Family : Sapindaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Raktaphala
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Madhura, Kashaya
Guna : Guru
Virya : Seeta
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Lichi, Lichie
Hindi : Lichi
Malayalam : Lichi
Distribution –Throughout China, South-East Asia, especially in north of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, southern Japan.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
It is a medium-sized evergreen tree, reaching 15–20 m tall. Leaves alternate pinnate each leaf 15–25 cm long, with 2-8 lateral leaflets 5–10 cm long; the terminal leaflet is absent. The newly emerging young leaves are a bright coppery red at first, before turning green as they expand to full size. The flowers are small, greenish-white or yellowish-white, produced in panicles up to 30 cm long. The fruit is a drupe, 3–4 cm long and 3 cm in diameter. The outside is covered by a pink-red, roughly-textured rind that is inedible but easily removed. The inside consists of a layer of sweet, translucent white flesh, rich in vitamin C, with a texture somewhat similar to that of a grape. The edible flesh consists of a highly developed aril enveloping the seed. The center contains a single glossy brown nut-like seed. The fruit matures from July to October, about 100 days after flowering.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, gastritis, peptic ulcer, hepatitis, cough, asthma general debility and tumor. Seeds cures pain, neuralgia, orchitis, smallpox, diarrhea and abdominal discomfort. Root having anti tumor activity.
Useful part : Fruit, Seed, Root.
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
Fruit pulp contains sugars (12.1-14.8%), reducing sugars (0.9-13.7%), non reducing sugars, 1.3-4%, citric acid (0.22-0.33%), Vit. C (34.5-45.4mg/100gm), isobutyl acetate, Cis-rose oxide, 2-geraniol, isovaleric acid, guaiacol, vanillin, 2-acetyl-2-thiazosine and 2-phenyl ethanol, many flavanoids, triterpenoids and tannin.
Photo : Internet
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