Ord. ANACARDIACEiE. 



Frutices vel arbores alternifoliae, epunctatas, exstipulatae, 

 succo resinoso seu viscoso-lacteo foBtse : dicotyledoneae, di- 

 chlamydeas, hypogyno-perigynaB, ssepius abortii polygamse, 4- 

 5-merce, iso-diplostemoneas, regulares ; asstivatione imbrica- 

 tiva ; ovario iinico uniloculari, stylo simplici vel 3-fido ; ovu- 

 lo unico funiculo filiformi e basi loculi adscendenti libero, 

 nunc parieti adnato, inserto ; fructu driipaceo ; semine exal- 

 buminoso ; cotyledonibus plano-convexis planisve saepius 

 radiculae curvatas seu uncinatas accumbentibus vel iucum- 

 bentibus. 



Anacardie^, R. Br. in Tuckey, Congo, p. 431. Bartl. Ord. Nat. p. 395. 

 AnacardiacEjE, Lindl. Introd. Nat. Syst. ed. 2. p. 1G6. Endl. Gen. p. 11527. 

 Terebinthacearum Genera, Juss. p. 3G8. DC. Prodr. 2. p. 62. 

 Terebinthace^:, Kuntli in Ann. Sci. Nat. 2. p. 333. 



The Cashew or Sumach Family consists of trees or shrubs; which are 

 distinguished from the allied orders by their claminy or resinous juice (which 

 is usually tnilky or colored, and blackens on exposure to the air) ; their alter- 

 nate leaves destitute of pellucid dots and of stipules ; their usually polyga- 

 mous regular flowers; their one-celled ovary (commonly surmounted by 

 three short styles or stigmas), with a single ovule borne on a funiculus which 

 rises from the base of the cell ; their indehisccnt and commonly drupaceous 

 fruit ; and the exalbuminous embryo with broad and flat or plano-convex 

 cotyledons. There are some exceptions, and some doubt as to the limits of 

 the family, of which it is not needful here to speak. In several points, es- 

 pecially through Pistacia, the Anacardiaceae are manifestly allied to the 

 Walnut Family ; which Endlicher has accordingly placed by its side in his 

 class Terebinthineee, notwithstanding the monochlamydeous or achlamyde- 

 ous and amentaceous sterile flowers, in virtue of which it is usually retained 

 near the Cupulifera;. 



The present family is chiefly tropical, in America, Africa, and India, al- 

 though the largest genus, Rhus, belongs in great part to the warmer temper- 



