15 Astonishing Facts About Rambutan: #10 Will Blow Your Mind!

4. A Close Cousin to Lychee and Longan

Rambutan is a member of the Sapindaceae family of widely consumed tropical fruits including lychee and longan. This family link helps to explain why these fruits have similar texture and taste. Although every has special qualities, their sweet, transparent flesh and comparable growing conditions reveal their shared origin. Because these fruits are closely related, chefs have found fascinating culinary uses for them; they often substitute one another in different recipes. But rambutan is unique in its hairy outside, which neither lychee nor longan have. This family link also relates to the nutritional characteristics of the fruits; all three have comparable advantages for health. Fascinatingly, the Sapindaceae family include several less well-known but equally interesting species including the pulasan and the korlan in addition to just these three fruits. This family's variety of tropical fruits—many of which are yet not well-known outside of their natural habitats—showcases their great range. Botanists and agricultural scientists, who examine their common features to create better varieties and farming methods, have been very interested in the genetic parallels among these fruits. Though they are similar, every fruit in this family has developed particular adaptations to fit their particular habitat, which has produced minute variations in taste, texture, and appearance. For instance, lychee has a thin, rough skin and longan has a smooth, brown shell while rambutan has its unique hairy outside. These variations not only define every fruit but also affect its post-harvest handling and storage needs.