The ackee,[1] (Blighia sapida) is a fruit. It is related to the lychee and the longan. It is native to tropical West Africa. The scientific name honours Captain William Bligh who took the fruit from Jamaica to Kew Gardens, England in 1793.
The fruit was imported to Jamaica from West Africa before 1778.[2] Since then it has become a feature of various Caribbean cuisines, and is cultivated elsewhere in the world.