Rambutan (Red) Tree (Nephelium lappaceum)

The rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) is a medium-sized tropical tree in the family Sapindaceae. The name also refers to the edible fruit produced by this tree. The rambutan is native to the Malay-Indonesian region, and other regions of tropical Southeast Asia. It is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits including the lychee, longan, and mamoncillo. Rambutan season starts in May when the first fruits appear on trees and stretches into August. Malwana is the center of Rambutan cultivation with huge orchards of Rambutan trees. Many locals grow Rambutan in their gardens. If you happen to be in Malwana, try Malwana Special - a local kind of Rambutan with bright red outer shell. It is believed that rambutan is not originally native to Sri Lanka, being brought over by the Portuguese from Malaysia. In any case, mixed with the Sri Lankan soil the seeds of rambutan have acquired the distinctive yet astonishing taste. The name "rambutan" is derived from the Malay-Indonesian languages word for rambut or "hair", a reference to the numerous hairy protuberances of the fruit, together with the noun-building suffix -an. In Vietnam, it is called chôm chôm (meaning "messy hair") due to the spines covering the fruit&skin. The rambutan tree reaches 50 to 80 ft (15-25 m) in height, has a straight trunk to 2 ft (60 cm) wide, and a dense, usually spreading crown. The evergreen leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, 2 3/4 to 12 in (7-30 cm) long, with reddish rachis, hairy when...