NAT. ORDER. 



SolonacecB. 



ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE. CASHEW-NUT. 



Class X. Decandria. Order I. Monogynia. 



Gen. Char. Calyx, five leaved. Petals, five, reflex. Anthers, ten, 

 one only fertile. 



Spec. Char. Nut, kidney-shaped, on the top of a fleshy receptacle. 



This beautiful small tree rises from twelve to twenty feet in 

 height; the fruit is about twice as large as a large sized orange; 

 the calyx is divided into five parts, the divisions ovate and decidu- 

 ous; the corolla consists of five reflected petals, which are about 

 twice the length of the calyx ; the stamens consist of ten capillary 

 filaments, which are shorter than the calyx ; the anthers are small 

 and roundish ; the pistil has a roundish germen ; the style is subu- 

 late, reflexed, and about the length of the corolla ; the stigma is 

 oblique ; jJericarp none ; the receptacle is large and fleshy ; the seed 

 is a large kidney-shaped nut, placed above the recejatacle. 



Of this only one species is as yet known to botanists. It is a 

 native of the West Indies, and cannot be cultivated either here or 

 in Europe without great care and difficulty. A gum exudes spon- 

 taneously from the bark of this tree, which bears some resemblance 

 to gum Arabic. The fruit of this tree is full of an acrid juice, and in 

 appearance and taste resembles that of the common lemon ; to the 

 apex of this fruit grows a kidney-shaped nut, much larger at the 

 end which is next the fruit, than at the other, consisting of two shells, 

 with a black juice between them, and a sweet oily kernel within 

 the inner shell This plant is easily raised from the fresh nut 



