Did you know that Litchi fruit with botanical name Litchi chinensis, in the genus Litchi in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, is a tropical tree of Chinese origin and is cultivated as 'Shahi Litchi of Bihar' and has the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag in India?
Litchi, also spelled Lychee, with botanical name Litchi chinensis, a luscious fruit cutlivated from the evergreen tropical tree of the same name, is native to the Guangdong, Fujian, and Yunnan provinces of Southeast and Southwest China, where cultivation is documented from the 11th century (1059 AD), and in Malaysia, and northern Vietnam; its origin is even claimed to a period as far back as 2000 BC. In India, introduced during the 18th century, it is equally popular and its cultivar is known as 'Shahi Litchi of Bihar' commercially cultivated in the districts of Muzaffarpur and surrounding districts, and as a result India is the second largest producer of Litchi in the world, after China. To protect the farmers cultivating this fruit crop, Governement of India accorded Shahi Litch of Bihar the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag, in 2018; this variety of Litchi is known for excellent aroma and quality; Chinese variety of litchi is also grown in India. India is now the second largest producer of litchi, and Bihar accounts for about 70 per cent production of this high value exotic fruit, after China.
Litchi chinensis is the sole member of the genus Litchi in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. It was described and named by French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat in his account "Voyage aux Indes Orientales et à la Chine, fait depuis 1774 jusqu'à 1781" (translation: "Voyage to the East Indies and China, made between 1774 and 1781"). Now more than 200 cultivars of this tree are cultivated in many parts of the world.
Apart from its several cultivars, it has three subspecies - Litchi chinensis subsp. chinensisa exclusively in Southern China; Litchi chinensis subsp. philippinensis (Radlk.) Leenh, grown only in the Philippines in the wild); and Litchi chinensis subsp. javensis in Malaysia and Indonesia. It is a very popular fruit, especially in the Orient, where it is widely consumed.
Litchi chinensis is a slow-growing, very ornamental, evergreen tree with a dense, wide crown. It can grow 4 - 20 metres tall; sometimes reaching even 28 m (92 ft) height. The bole is short and stocky. Its evergreen leaves, are pinnate, having 4 to 8 alternate, elliptic-oblong to lanceolate, abruptly pointed, leaflets. The bark is grey-black, the branches a brownish-red. Flowers grow on a terminal inflorescence with many panicles on the current season's growth. The panicles grow in clusters of ten or more, holding hundreds of small white, yellow, or green flowers that are distinctively fragrant. The tree bears fleshy fruits that mature in 80–112 days depending on climate, location, and cultivar. Fruits vary in shape from round to ovoid to heart-shaped. The fleshy, edible portion of the fruit is an aril, surrounding one dark brown inedible seed. The Indian Shahi Litchi of Bihar, which floods the market from May to June, is a heavy bearing variety with large fruits and has an average yield of 90-100kg/tree.
Nutrients of raw lychee fruit contains 69% water, 17% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and contains negligible fat. The raw pulp is rich in vitamin C, having 72 mg per 100 grams – an amount representing 86% of the Daily Value – but contains no other micronutrients in significant content.
The translucent, flavoured aril or edible flesh of the litchi fruit is popular as a table fruit in India, while in China and other countries it is preferred in dried or canned form. Litchi juice (also available in tetrapacks) is a popular table drink. It is also used in folk medicine and in Ayurveda for treatment of Diarrhoea, Neuralgic disorders and Orchitis. Shahi Litchi is also exported to Europe and the Middle East.
United Breweries Group has set up a production unit to make litchi-flavoured wine, in Muzaffarpur in 2012, and the company has leased litchi gardens.
In India, Litchi is grown in about 83 thousand hectares of area with a production of 5.75 lakh metric tonnes. Its cultivation has now spread to South India to the Coorg (Karnataka) and Waynad areas
of Kerala.
Narasipur Char
