A litchi LEAFY homologue (LcLFY) cDNA in full length was isolated from floral buds in ‘Nuomici’ litchi, Litchi chinensis, using RT-PCR and RACE-PCR. The full length of the cDNA was 1 397 bp, containing an open reading frame of 1 171 bp, which encoded 390 amino acids. Furthermore, RT-PCR analysis revealed that LcLFY was expressed during floral differentiation. LcLFY mRNA began to accumulate in buds in the early stage of floral differentiation, and it increased in floral primordium formation stage. However, the LcLFY transcription level decreased in flower formation stage.