PIsmciA OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 325 



forests are fast disappearing. Their nutty seeds form an im- 

 portant part of the winter food of the native Indians, and their 

 bark is even said to be used as food. 



Piney Varnish. {Sec Copal.) 



Pinguin, a name in Jamaica for Bromdia Pinfjuin, well 

 known as the wild pine of Jamaica, a plant of the Pine-apple 

 family (Bromeliaceai) ; leaves numerous, 2 to 3 feet long, sword- 

 shaped, curved, and rigid, with strong hooked spines on tlie 

 margin, which, when the plants are closely grown together, 

 form an impenetrable barrier to man and animals ; a good fibre 

 is obtained from its leaves, as also from B. Karatas, an allied 

 species. Its fruit is the size of a plum, and is an excellent 

 vermifuc^e. 



Piper .ffithiopicnm. {See Guinea Pepper.) 



Pipi, a name given to the astringent pods of Ccvsalpinia 

 ^nimi, a plant of the Bean family (Leguminosie), native of Brazil. 



Pippul Tree, a name in India for Ficus religiosa, a bushy tree 

 of the Mulberry family (Morace?e), having small elliptical smooth 

 leaves. It is a native of India, and one of the trees of Hindoo 

 worship. 



Pishamin, a name in Sierra Leone for the fruit of Cccr- 

 podinus dulcis and C. acidus, shrubby climbers of the Dogbane 

 family (Apocynaceee). The fruit of the first is of a yellowish 

 colour, about the size of a lemon, and is called the Sweet Pish- 

 amin, while that of the latter is somewhat smaller, and is called 

 the Sour Pishamin. They are both pulpy, and, when cut, yield 

 a quantity of sweet milky juice, which is also called Pishamin. 



Persimmon Plum. {See Date Plum.) 



Pistacia Nut {Pistacia vera), a small tree of the Cashew 

 Nut family (Anacardiaceie), native of Western Asia, common 

 in Palestine, and has become indigenous in the ]\Iediterranean 

 region. It has shining, winged, evergreen leaves. Its fruit is 

 of an oblong form, rather larger than an olive ; it has a brittle 

 shell enclosing the cotyledons (embryo), which are oblong and 

 of a greenish colour and an agreeable flavour. They are eaten 

 in large quantities by the Turks and Greeks, and are to be seen 



