474 ANACAEDIACBLffl. 



which are used as articles of diet. The Hebrew word D^JlSa (botnim), 

 translated nuts in Gen. xliii. 11, is supposed to refer to the fruit of 

 this plant. J?. Terebinihus is a native of the southern part of Europe, 

 and the northern part of Africa, and yields a liquid resinous exudation, 

 known as the Chian or Cyprian turpentine. The turpentine receives 

 its name on account of being collected in the island of Ohio or Scio, 

 where the plant thrives. The plant is common on the islands and 

 shores of the Mediterranean, and is found in Asia Minor, Syria, and 

 Palestine. The tree attains a height of 30 or 35 feet, and one tree 

 win yield ten ounces of the liquid resinous matter, which thickens on 

 exposure to air, by the loss of volatile oil. Like other turpentines, 

 it has diuretic and excitant properties. Pistacia Lentiscus, the Len- 

 tisk, a native of the coasts and islands of the Mediterranean, furnishes 

 the concrete resinous exudation called Mastich or Mastic. It is a 

 bush of about 10 or 12 feet in height, which is cultivated abundantly 

 in the island of Chios. Mastich is used as a masticatory for consoli- 

 dating the gums and cleansing the teeth. It has also been employed as 

 an antispasmodic, and it enters into the composition of varnishes. 

 Bhus Toxicodendron, Poison-oak, is a shrub found in Canada and the 

 United States, the leaves of which have been used as stimulants in 

 cases of palsy. Like the other species of this genus, it yields an acrid 

 milky juice, which becomes, black on exposure to the air. Bhus 

 radicans, Poison-ivy, or Poison-vine, is probably another name of the 

 same species. Bhus venenata, Poison-sumach, or Poison-elder, has 

 acrid, poisonous properties, and contact with it, iu some instances, 

 gives rise to inflammation of the skin. Cases are related of persons 

 who are peculiarly liable to be thus affected, and in whom the irrita- 

 tion caused by the juice of the poisonous species of Rhus is very great, 

 and even alarming. Bhus coriaria, B. typhina, and B. glabra, are used 

 for tanning, and their fruit is acid. Bhus Ootinus is called Arbre d 

 perruque (Wig-tree) in France, on account of the hairy appearance of 

 its abortive pedicels. Many of the plants in this order furnish var- 

 nishes and marking ink. Semecarpus Anacardium, commonly called 

 the Markiug-nut tree, supplies the Sylhet varnish, while Melanorrhcea 

 usitatissima furnishes that of Martaban. Stagmaria vernioiflua is the 

 source of the hard black varnish called Japan Lacquer. The leaves 

 of many of the species of Schinus, as S. Molle, when torn and 

 thrown on the surface of water, send out a resinous matter with 

 great force, so as to cause a sort of spontaneous motion by the recoil. 

 Although a resinous principle pervades the plants of this order, yet in 

 some cases it is not developed in the fruit, which becomes eatable. 

 Of this an illustration is furnished by the Mango, the produce of 

 Mangifeira indica. The Hog-plums of the West Indies are furnished 

 by various species of Spondias, as 8. purpurea and Mombin. Spondias 

 dulcis yields the fruit called Wi in the Fiji islands. 



