28 ORD. IL. Amentacee. PISTACIA LENTISCUS. 
‘a more correct figure of the Lentiscus, from a dried specimen of it in 
the Linnean Herbarium, than could have been done from the living 
plant as found in any of the gardens in the vicinity of London.” 
In the island of Chio, the officinal Mastich is obtained most 
abundantly, and, according to Tournefort,“ by making transverse 
incisions in the bark of the tree; from whence the Mastich exudes 
in drops, which are suffered to run down to the ground, when, after 
sufficient time is allowed for their concretion, they are collected for 
use. The time chosen for making these incisions is the first of August, 
when the weather is very dry; on the following day the Mastich 
begins to appear in drops, which continue to exude till the latter 
end of September.* 
Mastich is a resinous substance, brought to us in small yellowish 
transparent brittle grains or tears: “ it has a light agreeable smell, 
especially when rubbed or heated: on being chewed, it first crumbles, 
soon after sticks together, and becomes soft and white, like wax, 
without impressing any considerable taste. It totally dissolves, except 
the earthly impurities, which are commonly in no great quantity, in 
rectified spirit of wine, and then discovers a degree of warmth and 
bitterness, and a stronger smell than that of the resin in substance. 
- Boiled in water, it impregnates the liquor with its smell, but gives 
out little or nothing of its substance; distilled with water, it yields 
a small proportion of a limpid essential oil, in smell very fragrant, 
and in taste moderately pungent. Rectified spirit brings over also 
in distillation, the more volatile odorous matter of the Mastich.’* 
» The only tree of this species which we have observed to flower in England, is 
@male plant in the Apothecaries garden at Chelsea, where many rare and valuable 
plants have been long successfully cultivated. 
* Voyage du Levant. t. i. p. 44. See also Du Hamel, 2. c. Dela Motraye, Voyage 
&c. t.#. p. 190. Thevenot’s Levant, p. 180. Hasselquist Resa. p. 532. 
rs Je fin de Septembre les mémes incisions fournissent encore du Mastic, 
indre quantité. Tourn. 1. c. 
= Lewis, M. M, Pp 413, 
ons ay: — 
