Pistacia

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Pistacia

Pistacia chinensis with autumn colour

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Anacardiaceae
Genus:	Pistacia

Species

10, see text

Pistacia is a genus of ten species in the family Anacardiaceae, native to the Canary Islands, northwest Africa, southern Europe, central and eastern Asia and southern North America (Mexico, Texas). They are small trees and shrubs, growing to 5-15 m tall. The leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, and can be either evergreen or deciduous depending on species.

Pistacia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Emperor Moth.

[edit] Cultivation and uses

The most important species is the Pistachio (Pistacia vera), grown for its edible seeds. The seeds of the other species were also eaten in prehistory, but too small to be worth eating today.

The Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) is a shrub or small tree of the Mediterranean region with evergreen leaves. The resin mastic is obtained from it, and is often chewed by people in Turkey. Mastic resin is also used in varnishes and in medicine as a mild stimulant.

The Terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus), a native of the eastern Mediterranean countries, is tapped for turpentine.

The Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis) is grown as an ornamental tree, valued for its bright red autumn leaf colour; it is also the most frost-tolerant species in the genus.