Litchi
Litchi (also lichee, lichi, leechee, lychee), a tree of southern China cultivated in the tropics for its fruits. The tree grows to 40 feet (12 m) tall and bears glossy, leathery leaves. The fruits, about 1 ½ inches (4 cm) in diameter, grow in loose clusters. Each fruit contains a large, hard seed embedded in colorless, translucent pulp. The warty skin of the fruit is reddish-brown and leathery when fresh, brown and brittle when dry. The fruits are eaten fresh, dried, and as preserves. When dried, they are called litchi nuts, although botanically they are not nuts but drupes. Litchi trees have been introduced into California and Florida.
The litchi is Litchi chinensis or Nephelium litchi of the soapberry family, Sapindaceae.