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Anacardiaceae (from the genus Anacardium, the name meaning heart-like, in reference to the shape of the nut). Cashew Family. Fig. 33. Trees or shrubs with resinous bark, and alternate, simple or compound leaves: flowers bisexual or unisexual, regular, small, and numerous, epigynous, perigynous or hypogynous; sepals 3-5; petals 3-5, mostly imbricated, or 0; stamens 5 or 10, rarely many, inserted with the petals at the edge or base of an annular, intrastaminal disk; ovary 1-, rarely 2-6-, celled, with 1 ovule in each cell; styles 1-6: fruit a drupe or nut, rarely dehiscent; seeds usually exalbuminous.
There are 58 genera and about 400 species, most abundant in the tropical zone of both hemispheres, but represented by the genus Rhus as far north as Europe and the United States. Rhus is the largest genus, containing 120 species. The family is related to the Sapindaceae, but contains resin, and has an intrastaminal disk. It is also related to the Burseraceae and Simarubaceae.
The disk in some genera becomes elongated into a stalk on which the ovary is raised. The drupe is sometimes edible (Mangifera). In Anacardium, the nut-like fruit is situated on top of a fleshy edible receptacle. Sometimes the nut is surrounded by the edible receptacle. In Cotinus, the pedicles become plumose and the whole much-branched inflorescence breaks off, and blows about, distributing the seeds. In Swintonia, the calyx or the corolla becomes enlarged and persistent and serves as a parachute in seed-dissemination. Rhus Toxicodendron (poison ivy) and R. Vernix (poison sumach, poison elder, poison dogwood) contain in all their parts an oily, extremely irritating substance, which often produces a very painful vesicular eruption that may last for several days.
The Anacardiaceae is a family of considerable economic importance. Because of the resinous juice, it yields medicinal substances and varnishes. It also yields important edible fruits. Pistacia vera of Syria furnishes the pistachio nut; Pistacia Terebinthus of the Mediterranean yields Cyprus turpentine, formerly medicinal. The leaves of Rhus Coriaria of the Mediterranean are used for tanning fine leather. Rhus succedanea of Japan yields vegetable wax, which coats the seed within the capsule. Melanorrhoea usitata yields a celebrated black varnish of Burmah. Mangifera indica of the East Indies is the mango tree, the fruit of which is large, juicy, sugary-acid and agreeable. Anacardium occidentale of tropical America is the cashew. This plant yields edible nuts and an edible receptacle. From it vinegar is made, also a peppery oil used as a condiment; and the trunk yields a valuable acacia-like gum. The seeds of Semecarpus (marking-nut tree) give an indelible black dye used in marking linen. Spondias purpurea is the so-called Spanish plum of the West Indies. The fruit of Spondias dulcis of the Pacific Islands is also frequently eaten. Other species furnish the hog plum of the West Indies. The mastic, a fragrant gum-resin of the pharmacist, is obtained from Pistacia Lentiscus of the Orient.
Eight to 12 genera are in cultivation in N. America, but with the exception of Rhus and Cotinus, mostly in the southern states, especially in southern Florida and southern California. Among these are: Anacardium (Cashew Tree); Cotinus (Smoke-bush); Cyrtocarpa, fruit edible; Mangifera (Mango); Pistacia (Pistachio Nut); Rhus (Sumach, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Elder, Poison Dogwood), 15 species; Schinus (California Pepper Tree, Peruvian Mastic); Semecarpus (Marking- nut Tree).
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