PISTACIA (Lat., from Gk. inariKn, pistakf', pistachio-tree, from Pers. pistu, pistachio-nut). A genus of trees of the natural order Anacardia cele, having, dicecious flowers without petals and a dry drupe with a bony stone which splits into two valves when ripe, exposing the bright green oleaginous kernel, which is used to flavor culi nary preparations, ices. etc. The pistacia or pistachio tree Wistaria reran, a native of Persia and :Syria, hut now cultivated in Southern Eu rope and Northern Africa, and in manyp. 1 aces naturalized, attains a height of about 20 feet, has pinnate leaves, flowers in racemes, ovate fruit about the size of an olive. In the south of Eu rope and in the East, pistachio-nuts, sometimes called green almonds. are much esteemed, and are exported to some extent, although they very readily become rancid. Oil is expressed from them for culinary and other uses. In cultivation one male tree is allowed to five or six fertile ones. The mastic tree, or lentisk (Pistaeia lentiscus), yields the gum resin called mastic (q.v.). It is a native of the countries around the Mediter ranean. The turpentine tree Wistaria tcrebin
thus) yields the turpentine (q.v.) known in com merce as Cyprus turpentine. Chian turpentine, or Seio turpentine. which resembles honey in consistency. is greenish yellow, pleasant smelling and mild-tasting, and in its properties resembles the turpentine of the pines, but lacks acridity. The tree is about 30 or 35 feet in height. has pinnate leaves, of about three pairs of leaflets and an odd one; flowers in compound racemes; and nearly globular fruit. The kernel of the fruit. is oleaginous and pleasant. The Wolin] tree (Pistacia atlantica), a round-headed tree of about 40 feet in height, a native of the north of Africa. produces a fruit much used by the Arabs. and a gum resin of pleasant aromatic smell and agreeable taste. This is chewed to clean the teeth and sweeten the breath. The fragrant oil of the kernels of Pistaria olcosa, a native of Coehin-China, is used by the people of that country to impart a perfume to ointments.