ANABASIS, in botany, a genus of the Pentandria Digynia CiaSS and order : es sen. char.; calyx, three-leaved; cor. five petalled : kberry, one-seeded, anrrounded by a calyx : there are four species. 'ANACARDILIM, in botany, acajou, a genus of the Enneandria Monogynia class and order; its characters are, that it has hermaphrodite flowers, and male flowers, either mixed with the hermaphrodites, or on a distinct tree. The calyx of the former is a perianthiuin, five-leaved, leaf lets ovate, concave, coloured, erect, and deciduous ; the corolla has five petals, lanceolate, acute, three times as long as the calyx, upright at bottom, reflex at the end ; the stamina have ten filaments, united at the base and upright, nine of them capillary, shorter than the calyx ; the pistilauin has a germ, kidney-shaped, obliquely emarginate in front, style subu late, bent in, the length of the corolla ; stigma small, roundish, depressed and concave : no pericarpium ; receptacle fleshy, very large and obovate ; the seed a nut, kidney-shaped, large at the top of the receptacle, with a thick shell, cellular within, and abounding in oil. The calyx, corolla, and stamina, of the male flowers, as in the hermaphrodites ; the pistillum has either no germ, or one that is abor tive. There is one species, viz. A. occi dentale, cashew-nut, ca.ssu or acajou. The cashew is an elegant tree, 12 or 16 feet high, spreading much as it rises, and beginning to branch at the height of five feet, according to Browne ; but Long af firms that in good soil it spreads to the size of a walnut tree, which it resembles in the shape and smell of the leaves ; the trunk seldom exceeds half a foot in diameter; the leaves are coriaceous, sub ovate, shining, entire, petioled, and scat tered alternately' ; and terminating, con taining many small, sweet-smelling flow ers, on oblong receptacles, scarcely dis tinguishable from the peduncle; the co rolla red, with commonly 10 stamens, one of which has no anther, but it has fre quently eight, or only seven, all fertile ; and there are sometimes female flowers, entirely destitute of stamens. The fruit ha.s an agreeable subacid flavour, in sonic degree restringent ; in some of a yellow, and in others ot a red colour, which differ ence may be probably owing to the soil or culture. The juice of the fruit, fer
mented, affords a pleasant wine; and distilled, yields a spirit exceeding arrack or rum, and serves to make punch, and also to protnote urine. The ripe fruit is sometimes roasted and sliced, and thus used for giving an agreeable flavour to punch. The restringency of the juice has recommended it as a remedy in drop sical habits. From one end of the apple proceeds the nut, which is kidney shaped, inclosed in two shells, the outer of an ash colour, and smooth, and tlae inner covers the kerneL Betweken these sliells is lodged a thick, inflammable, and very caustic oil, which, incautiously ap plied to the lips and mouth, inflames and excoriates them. This oil ha.s been suc cessfully used for eating off orms, cancerous ulcers, and corns ; but it should be very cautiously applied. Some females have used it as a cosmetic, in or der to remove the freckles and tan occa sioned by the scorching rays of the sun, but it proves so corrosive as to peel off the skin, and cause the face to inflame and swell; but after enduring the pain of this operation for about a fortnight, thin new skin, as it may be called, ap pears, fair like that of a new born infant. This oil also tinges linen of a rusty iron colour, that can hardly be got out ; and when smeared on wood it prevents decay, and might, therefore, serve for preserv ing house timber and ships' bottoms. The fresh kernel has a delicious taste, and abounds with a sweet milky juice; it is an ingredient in puddings, Ste. and is eaten raw, roasted, and pickled. The negroes of Brazil, who are compelled by their masters, the Portuguese, to eat tlus nut, for want of othensustenance, obtain relief from this involuntary use of it in various disorders of the stomach. When die kernel is ground with cacao, it im proves the chocolate ; but if it be kept too long, it becomes sluivelled, and loses its flavour and best qualities. The milky jukce of the tree, obtained by tapping or incision, will stain linen of a deep black, which cannot be washed out; but whe ther this has the same property with that of the eastern anacardium, has not yet been a.scertained ; for the inspissated juice of that tree is the best sort, of lac which is used for staini ngblack in China or Japan.