XXXIV. THE SUMACH FAMILY. 499 
CHAPTER VII. 
POLYPETALOUS PLANTS, WITH STAMENS AND PETALS GROWING UPON 
THE RECEPTACLE. 
FAMILY XXXIV. THE SUMACH FAMILY. ANACARDIA‘CER. 
R. Brown. 
‘Tis order includes trees or shrubs, with a resinous, gummy, 
caustic or milky juice; with simple or compound, alternate 
leaves, without stipules, and with axillary or terminal, mostly 
panicled flowers. The flowers are perfect, or sterile and fertile on 
different plants,—distinct, regular; the calyx has 5, or rarely, 3, 
4 or 7 divisions; the petals, of the same number, are inserted, as 
are the stamens, into the bottom of the calyx; the stamens are 
as many as the petals and alternate with them, or twice as many 
or more, sometimes sterile, anthers opening mmwards. Ovary 
solitary, free, 1-celled; styles 1 or 3, sometimes none; stigmas 
as many; ovule solitary, attached by a cord to the bottom of 
the cell. Fruit indehiscent, commonly hke a drupe; embryo 
curved ; cotyledons thick and fleshy, or leafy. 
The plants of this type have small flowers, and abound in a 
resinous juice sometimes acrid and very poisonous. In several, 
the juice is white and clammy, and afterwards turns black, and 
may be used as varnish. ‘he Marking Nut-tree, Semecarpus 
anacardium, furnishes the celebrated varnish of Sylhet; and the 
Theet-see, Melanorhe*a usitatissima, that of Martaban, and pro- 
bably a black lac. All these varnishes are dangerous, and when 
applied to the skin, often produce painful and extensive swellings. 
The most valuable varnishes of Japan and China are obtained 
from plants of this order. Mastich, and Scio turpentine, are 
the produce, severally, of Pistacta lentiscus and terebinthus. 
The seeds of the Cashew-nut, and of the Pistacia-nut are eat- 
able, and the fruit of the Mango delicious. 
Chiefly natives of the tropics; some species of Rhus are found 
