Lychee

Lychees are the fruit of Litchi chinensis, the sole species in its genus, part of the soapberry family; the fruit is edible, with a sweet, mildly tart flavor and a distinctive floral aroma often described as rose-like. There are three distinct subspecies: the most common, the Indochinese lychee, found in South China, Malaysia and northern Vietnam; the Philippine lychee, found only in the Philippines; and the Javanese lychee, cultivated in Indonesia and Malaysia. The tree has spread throughout Southeast and South Asia, with cultivation in China documented since the 11th century, and China remains the main producer, followed by India, Vietnam, other countries across South and Southeast Asia, Madagascar and South Africa.