Longan, fruits are similar to
lychees but come from a different family of plants, Sapindaceae. They are known in Chinese as “
dragon eyes” and in Indonesian as “cat’s eyes,” as they are a perfectly round fruit. When their light brown shell (
husk) is removed, they reveal translucent skin and a dark seed that shows through, appearing like the dark pupil/iris, which is what gives them their name.
