Anacardiaceae

Anacardium L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 383 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Mexico to Tropical America.

Descriptions

Anacardiaceae, Rosette Fernandes & A. Fernandes. Flora Zambesiaca 2:2. 1966

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or trees.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, sessile or petiolate, simple, entire, coriaceous, generally oblong-obovate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers polygamo-dioecious, in corymbose terminal or subterminal panicles.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5, imbricate, slightly connate at the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, imbricate, reflexed, caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 7–10, unequal, 1(2) fertile, the others sterile; filaments connate at the base; anthers dorsifixed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary free, sessile, obovoid or obcordate, 1-locular, with the ovule ascendent; style 1, with a capitate stigma.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit ± obliquely reniform, compressed, on the swollen pedicel; mesocarp oleaginous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds reniform with thick cotyledons.
[FZ]

Anacardiaceae, J. O. Kokwaro (University of Nairobi). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1986

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or trees
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, simple, sessile or petiolate, generally oblong-obovate, entire, coriaceous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in corymbose terminal or subterminal panicles, poygamo-dioecious
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5, imbricate, slightly connate at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, imbricate, eflexed, caducous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 7–10, l(–2) fertile, the rest sterile (staminodes), unequal in length; filaments connate at the base; anthers dorsifixed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary free, sessile, obovoid or obcordate, unilocular, with the ovule ascendent; style 1, with a capitate stigma
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit obliquely reniform, compressed, on the swollen pedicel; mesocarp oleaginous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds reniform with thick cotyledons.
[FTEA]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or trees
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, simple, entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in paniculate inflorescences, bisexual or male
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5, slightly united at the base; petals 5, becoming reflexed, soon falling; fertile stamens 1(–2) plus up to 9 shorter staminodes; filaments united at the base; disk absent; ovary 1-celled; style 1 with a capitate stigma
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Drupes kidney-shaped, on a swollen pedicel.
Distribution
Some twenty species in tropical America, one of them, A. occidentale, widely cultivated in the tropics.
[FSOM]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Trees or shrubs with alternate, simple, petiolate leaves, the tissue glabrous, coriaceous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence terminal or sometimes in upper leaf-axils, paniculate or sometimes corymbiform
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers unisexual (male) or bisexual (plants polygamous)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5, erect; petals 5, often reflexed at maturity; disc lacking
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 7–10, unequal, 1 (or rarely 2) longer and stouter than the others, the latter sometimes sterile; filaments connate at base forming a short tube; anthers basifixed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary sessile, ovoid, with 1 locule and 1 ovule; style lateral, with minute stigma
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a kidney-shaped, laterally compressed, nut-like drupe, borne on a fleshy, pyriform hypocarp.
Distribution
A neotropical genus of 10 species.
[Cayman]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0