PISTACIA, a genus of plants belonging to the natural order Anacardiacen. Seeds solitary, each without albumen. The species are— P. Atlantica, Desf., P. Cabulica, Stocks, Sind.
P. integerrima, H. f. et T., N.W. Himalaya. P. lentiscus, L., S. Europe, N. Africa.
P. terebinthus, L., Yoigt, S. Europe, N. Africa.
Pistacia Atlantica, Desf., Tagho, PUSIITU, yields the Rumi mastiki or Kundar rumi of the bazars of the Panjab ; used in asthma, also mixed in ointments.
Pistacia Cabulica, Stocks; Khinjak, PUSHTU. A tree of Sind, yields a resin similar to mastic. Pistacia integerrima, H. et T., Zebra-wood tree.
Rhus integerrima, Wall.
Kakrein, . . . BRAS. Kakkeran, Toongoo, RAY. Kakra, . . . CHENAB. . „ Kakrei, Tanhari, „ Kakaangche, . SUTLEJ. Khakkar, . . JHELUM. Sarawan, TRANS-INDUS.
Kangar, . . Shne, Masna, If Drek, Goorgoo, KAGHAN.
This ornamental tree grows in many places in the Panjab Himalaya at from 1500 to 5500 feet, also in Simla, Garhwal Hills, Hazara, and Afghan istan. Its zebra-coloured wood is in great demand amongst Europeans for chairs and cabinets ; it is also made into oil mills. The leaves and young shoots are browsed. The fruit, sumak, is given in indigestion. The kakra-singhi, a large, hollow, horn-like curved gall, with a tawny-brown rough exterior, is considered hot, dry, and astringent, and is used by natives in coughs and asthma, fever, piles, and dysentery. It is also said to allay vomiting, thirst, and difficulty of breathing. —Cleghorn ; Stewart ; Powell, i. p. 338.
Pistacia lentiscus, Linn., Mastic tree.
Mastaka, . . ARAB. IIGMi mastiki, . HEN 0.
Uluk-bagh-danu, „ Kundar rumi, >, Kinnah,...,,? Kinnah, Kinnoli, PERS.
A native of the south of Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor, introduced into the Calcutta Garden in 1806. The bud, bark, leaves, and fruit have all been used in medicine, but have been laid aside in modern times. The leaves are evergreen ; fruits very small, pea-shaped, reddish when ripe. The resin is called Itumi mastaka, . ARAB. Ulmastiga, . . SP.
Gum mastic, . . ENO. Kinnoli, . . . TURK. Kundar rumi, . PERS.
Mastic is obtained from the trunk by incisions made in the month of August. It occurs in oval tears of variable size, smooth, diaphanous, brittle, breaking with plane, brilliant, glassy, and pale yellow surface, and owing to its brittleness being usually covered with its own dust. Its odour is agreeable ; flavour weakly balsamic ; it softens in the mouth, and becomes ductile like white wax. It melts at a moderate heat, and then exhales a sweet odour. Mastic is quite insoluble in water ; it yields to alcohol 80 per 100 of soluble matter, leaving a substance resembling caoutchouc, which is slowly dissolved by ether. This resin gives
its name to the process of mastication, being largely chewed in the east. It is much used by dentists for filling up carious teeth ; it is burned as incense ; and in some parts of Greece it is added to bread in small quantities to give it an agreeable flavour. Mastic is extensively employed as a transparent varnish, dissolved in turpentine or alcohol, with other resinous bodies. A species of mastic, called tutu, is obtained in Africa from the Pistacia Atlantica. The true resin is sold in all the bazars for about three rupees the seer. It is used by hakims in diarrbcea and diseases of the stomach or liver. It comes from Kabul, but the best is said to come front Turkey and the Levant, hence called Rumi.—Roxb. ; O'Sh. p. 278 ; Powell.
Pistacia terebinthus, Terebinthus vulgaris.
Katinge rumi, . ARAB.Zungbari, . . . PERS. Butum, I . . . „ Sukhur, . . . . „ A native of Barbary, Greece, and the south of France. A resinous juice of much value is afforded by this tree. It is seldom seen in clumps or groves. It is said to produce cypress or chian turpentine, and to supply a kind of follicular gall. Its small, brown, dried fruits, called flab ul-Khizra, are said to come from Bokhara, and to be used Its an astringent in special diseases, and for palpitation of the heart.—Powell.
Pistacis. volt, Lime., Pistachio tree. Fistak, Vista, IIIND. A large bush or small tree, from 15 to 20 feet high, of Asia Minor, Syria, Persia, N. Turkestan, Mid Asia, Bokhara, Kabul, Koh-l b:Halt, and S. of Europe. It yields the pista or pistachio nut, of which about 140 tons are annually imported via l'eshawur and the Bolan pass. The gall found on it, pista-ka-phul, gul-i-pista, and hazglianj, or bozaghanj. are itnported into Bombay from the Persian Gulf, and used as an astringent medicine, also as a dye for silk. By the Hindu physicians the fruit is considered a warm and moist remedy ; the kernel contains much oil, and acts as a demulcent and restorative. It is prin cipally used in special diseases. The bark is employed as a tonic in indigestion. The galls act as astringents, and are used in diarrhoea. According to Mr. Elphinstone, it grows wild in the Hindu Kush. The almond and the pericarp are imported into India from Kabul, with the kind of gall termed gul-i-pista, and a resin called aluk-ul-imbat.—O'Sh. p. 276 ; Roy/e's Ill. p. 178 ; Fanllener ; Birdwood ; Powell, i. p. 337.