THE LEGUMINOS^ 



29 



end. Both the juicy stalk and the nut are eaten. The former 

 is very pretty, being coloured either a pale yellow or a brilliant 

 red. The seed is protected by the cells in the cover being filled 





Fig. 26. — Branch of the Cashew Nut tree. 



Avith an extremely acrid juice. They are, as a rule, roasted be- 

 fore being opened to get at the kernels which are edible. These 

 nuts are exported in large quantities from the Malabar coast. 



The Indian Marking Nut {Semecarpus anacardium ; Kan. 

 Gerkayi, kera; MciL Cermara: Tarn. Cengotaimaram; Tel. 

 Jidicettu; San. Agnimukhi) yields a corrosive black juice, used 

 by dhobies for marking clothes. 



The fruit of the Hog Plum Tree (Spondias mangifera; Kan- 

 Ambata; Mai. Ambalam: Tani. Kattuma; Tel. Ambalamu; 

 San. Amrataka) is eaten, being a substitute for tamarind in 

 curries. The tree flowers when it is leafless. 



9. The Leguminosse. 



Trees, shrubs, or herbs. Leaves very often compound with stipules. 

 Inflorescence racemose. Flowers zygomorphic. Sepals five, petals 

 five. Stamens generally ten, free or variously combined. Ovary 

 superior, of one carpel. Fruit a legume with the calyx attached. Seed 

 exendospermous with thick cotyledons. 



