XXXIV. THE SUMACH FAMILY. 499 



CHAPTER VII. 



POLYPETALOUS PLANTS, WITH STAMENS AND PETALS GROWING UPON 



THE RECEPTACLE. 



FAMILY XXXIV. THE SUMACH FAMILY. ANACARDIA^CEJE. 



R. Brown. 



This order includes trees or shrubs, with a resinous, gummy, 

 caustic or milky juice ; with simple or compound, alternate 

 leaves, without stipules, and with axillary or terminal, mostly 

 panicled flowers. The flowers are perfect, or sterile and fertile on 

 different plants, — distinct, regular; the calyx has 5, or rarely, 3, 

 4 or 7 divisions ; the petals, of the same number, are inserted, as 

 are the stamens, into the bottom of the calyx ; the stamens are 

 as many as the petals and alternate with them, or twice as many 

 or more, sometimes sterile, anthers opening inwards. Ovary 

 solitary, free, 1-celled ; styles 1 or 3, sometimes none ; stigmas 

 as many ; ovule solitary, attached by a cord to the bottom of 

 the cell. Fruit indehiscent, commonly like a drupe; embryo 

 curved ; cotyledons thick and fleshy, or leafy. 



The plants of this type have small flowers, and abound in a 

 resinous juice sometimes acrid and very poisonous. In several, 

 the juice is white and clammy, and afterwards turns black, and 

 may be used as varnish. The Marking Nut-tree, Semecarpus 

 anacardium, furnishes the celebrated varnish of Sylhet ; and the 

 Theet-see, Melanorhce'a usitatissima, that of Martaban, and pro- 

 bably a black lac. All these varnishes are dangerous, and when 

 applied to the skin, often produce painful and extensive swellings. 

 The most valuable varnishes of Japan and China are obtained 

 from plants of this order. Mastich, and Scio turpentine, are 

 the produce, severally, of Pistacia lentiscus and terebinlhus. 

 The seeds of the Cashew-nut, and of the Pistacia-nut are eat- 

 able, and the fruit of the Mango delicious. 



Chiefly natives of the tropics ; some species of Rhus are found 



