Outer bark gray to brown, smooth when young, scaly or flaky when mature

Leaves odd-pinnate, spirally arranged; leaflets 3-7 alternately arranged, oblique base, 7-13 nerves per side

Raceme, axillary, simple, solitary or aggregate, 5 sepals but without petals, 1-3 cm long, widely but sparingly branched, the branchlets roughened by the numerous scars of the fallen flowers.

Fruits indehiscent pods, comparatively few coming to full maturity, quite heavy, lenticular or almond shaped, 2-3 cm long, 1.5 cm thick; pericarp brown, hard to woody. Seeds with strongly folded cotyledons.

from low elevation to 800 masl

MAN ANNUAL TEMPERATURE: 15 deg C SOIL TYPE: The longan thrives best on a rich sandy loam and nearly as well on moderately acid, somewhat organic, sand. It also grows to a large size and bears heavily in oolitic limestone. In organic muck soils, blooming and fruiting are deficient. (Reference: Orwa et al., 2009)

Primary or secondary lowland to mid elevation forest.

(In the absence of specific tree management practices for the species, practices for a relative Diospyros philippinensis could be used) SOWING. Germination media - Unsterilized garden soil + sand at 3:1 and 2:1 ratio. Seeds could be directly sown in plastic bags or pre-germinated in seedbeds at 4x3 cm spacing. Seeds could be recalcitrant like Diospyros philippinensis and therefore requires immediate sowing and short storage period. TRANSPLANTING AND CARE OF SEEDLINGS. Seedlings are transplanted in plastic bags. Many seedlings reached the outplanting age of 3 months (11cm high) and 5 to 6 months after germination (7.5 cm high). Hardening treatments included gradual exposure to full sunlight for 2 to 4 months in Bicol and reduced watering for 2 months.