Pistacia

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Pistacia
Pistacia lentiscus (male flowers).jpg
Pistacia lentiscus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Anacardiaceae
Subfamily: Anacardioideae
Genus: Pistacia
L. [1]
Species

See text

Synonyms

Terebinthus Mill. [1]

Mastic resin from Pistacia lentiscus Mastic.jpg
Mastic resin from Pistacia lentiscus

Pistacia is a genus of flowering plants in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. It contains 10 to 20 species that are native to Africa and Eurasia from the Canary Islands, all of Africa, and southern Europe, warm and semidesert areas across Asia, and North America from Guatemala to Mexico, as well as southern Texas.

Contents

Description

Pistacia plants are shrubs and small trees growing to 5–15 m (16–49 ft) tall. The leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, and can be either evergreen or deciduous depending on species. All species are dioecious, but monoecious individuals of Pistacia atlantica have been noted. [2] The genus is estimated to be about 80 million years old. [3]

It is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Anacardiaceae. The plants are dioecious, and have male and female trees independently; a viable population should have both sexes.[ citation needed ]

Well-known species in the genus Pistacia include P. vera, the pistachio, grown for its edible seeds; P. terebinthus , from which terebinth resin, a turpentine, is produced; P. lentiscus , source of the plant resin mastic; and P. chinensis , the Chinese pistache, cultivated as an ornamental tree.[ citation needed ]

P. vera genome

Scientists from Iran and China assembled a draft genome of pistachio and resequenced 107 whole genomes, including 93 domestic and 14 wild individuals of P. vera and 35 other genomes from different wild Pistacia species. [4] [5] Integrating genomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed expanded gene families (e.g., cytochrome P450 and chitinase) and the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthetic pathway that are likely involved in stress adaptation. Comparative population genomic analyses revealed that pistachio was domesticated about 8000 years ago, and that likely key genes for domestication are those involved in tree and seed size, which experienced artificial selection. [6]

Species

ImageScientific nameCommon nameDistribution
Pistacia aethiopica KokwaroEthiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Yemen
Ab plant 133.jpg Pistacia atlantica Desf.betoumEurasia from the Iranian Plateau to North Africa
Pistacia chinensis 03.jpg Pistacia chinensis BungeChinese pistachecentral and western China
Pistacia cucphuongensis DaiVietnam
Pistacia eurycarpa Yalt.Zagros Mountains, Iraq
Pistacia falcata Beccari ex Martellinortheast tropical Africa, Arabian Peninsula
Pistacia khinjuk StocksEgypt, western Asia, and parts of the Himalayas
Pistacia integerrima J.L.Stewart ex BrandisAsia
Pistacia lentiscus CBMen 4.jpg Pistacia lentiscus L.masticMediterranean Basin
Pistacia malayana M.R.Henderson.Peninsular Malaysia
Pistacia mexicana.jpg Pistacia mexicana KunthMexican pistache (including P. texanaSwingle – Texas pistache), American pistachioGuatemala, Mexico, and Texas
Pistacia x saportae kz3.jpg Pistacia ×saportae BurnatEurope
Pistacia palaestina blossom1.JPG Pistacia terebinthus L.terebinth and turpentine treeMorocco, and Portugal to Greece, western and southeast Turkey, and Levant region (especially Israel and Syria)
860631-Pistachio-IMG 6862-2.jpg Pistacia vera L.pistachioCentral Asia and the Middle East
Pistacia weinmannifolia J.Poiss. ex Franch. [7] Yunnan province of China

Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg. was formerly classified as P. simarubaL. [7]

Ecology

The Pistacia species are vicarious Anacardiaceae with few species outside the Old World, and are mostly more adapted to water shortage and alkaline soil.[ citation needed ]

Many plant species are adapted to desert or summer drought typical of Mediterranean climate, so have a high tolerance to saline soil. They grow well in water containing up to 3.0 to 4.0% of soluble salts. [8] They are quite resilient in their ecological requirements, and can survive in temperatures ranging from −10 °C in winter to 45 °C in summer. They prefer places oriented toward the sun and well-drained soil, but grow well in the bottom of ravines. Though very hardy and drought resistant, Pistacia species grow slowly and only begin to bear fruit after about 7–10 years from planting, obtaining full development only after 15–20 years. The fruit ripens in the Mediterranean from August; only female trees have fruit.[ citation needed ]

Although some species prefer moderate humidity, they do not grow well in high-humidity conditions. They are susceptible to root rot, molds, and fungi, and parasites attack if they receive too much water and the soil has insufficient drainage. They require a period of drought each year for proper development. Their leaves are intensely bright green and leathery, with three to nine leaflets. The leaves are alternate, compound, and paripinnate. The flowers are unisexual, apetalous, and grouped in clusters. The flowers range from purple to green. The fruit is a drupe, generally unpalatable to humans, the size of a pea, and red to brown in color, depending on the degree of maturation. The seeds do not have endosperm. The seeds are eaten and dispersed by birds, for which they are a valuable resource because of the scarcity of food in some important times of year, as the time of breeding, migration, or the dry season. The commercial species of pistachio has larger fruits and is edible.[ citation needed ]

The plants emit a bitter, resinous, or medicative smell, which in some species is very intense and aromatic. Some species develop "galls" that occur in the leaves and leaflets after the bite of insects. Although marred by the presence of galls, they are very vigorous and resistant plants that survive in degraded areas where other species have been eliminated. They multiply by seeds, stolons, and root shoots. Various species hybridize easily between them, and hybrid plants are difficult to identify.[ citation needed ]

Some tree species (e.g. Pistacia aethiopica , Pistacia atlantica ) can exist as small bushes and shrubs due to the extremes of their habitat, adverse conditions, or the excessive consumption by wildlife or livestock that hinders growth.[ citation needed ]

Pistacia lentiscus is a very common plant related to P. terebinthus with which it hybridizes. P. terebinthus is more abundant in the mountains and inland in the Iberian Peninsula, and mastic is usually found more frequently in areas where the Mediterranean influence of the sea prevents or moderates frost. Some species with very small ranges cover only one or a group of islands in the Mediterranean. P. terebinthus is also found on the east coast of the Mediterranean, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, filling the same ecological niche of these species. On the west coast of the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, and the Middle East, it can be confused with Pistacia atlantica .[ citation needed ]

Pistacia species are used as food plants by the larvae (caterpillars) of some species of Lepidoptera including the emperor moth.[ citation needed ]

Cultivation and uses

Best known as the pistachio, P. vera is a small tree native to Iran, grown for its edible seeds. The seeds of the other species were also eaten in prehistory, but are too small to have commercial value today. Records of Pistacia from preclassical archaeological sites, and mentions in preclassical texts, always refer to one of these other species (often P. terebinthus).[ citation needed ]

P. terebinthus (the terebinth), also a native of Iran, and the western Mediterranean countries, is tapped for turpentine. It is also common in the eastern Mediterranean countries. Because terebinths have the ability to kill certain bacteria, terebinth resin was widely used as a preservative in ancient wine. In the Zagros Mountains of Iran, in one of the earliest examples of winemaking, archaeologists discovered terebinth resin deposits from 5400 to 5000 BC in jars that also contained grape-juice residue. [9]

P. lentiscus, an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Mediterranean region, supplies a resin called mastic.[ citation needed ]

P. chinensis (Chinese pistache), the most frost-tolerant species in the genus, is grown as an ornamental tree, valued for its bright red autumn leaf colour.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pistachio</span> Member of the cashew family

The pistachio, a member of the cashew family, is a small tree originating from an area that includes Iran. The tree produces seeds that are widely consumed as food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Resin</span> Solid or highly viscous substance

In polymer chemistry and materials science, a resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses mainly on naturally occurring resins.

<i>Pistacia lentiscus</i> Species of flowering plants in the sumac family Anacardiaceae

Pistacia lentiscus is a dioecious evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus Pistacia native to the Mediterranean Basin. It grows up to 4 m (13 ft) tall and is cultivated for its aromatic resin, mainly on the Greek island of Chios and around the Turkish town of Çeşme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anacardiaceae</span> Family of flowering plants that includes cashew and mango

The Anacardiaceae, commonly known as the cashew family or sumac family, are a family of flowering plants, including about 83 genera with about 860 known species. Members of the Anacardiaceae bear fruits that are drupes and in some cases produce urushiol, an irritant. The Anacardiaceae include numerous genera, several of which are economically important, notably cashew, mango, Chinese lacquer tree, yellow mombin, Peruvian pepper, poison ivy, poison oak, sumac, smoke tree, marula and cuachalalate. The genus Pistacia is now included, but was previously placed in its own family, the Pistaciaceae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley of Elah</span> Geographical place mentioned in the Bible

The Valley of Elah or Ella Valley, called in Arabic: وادي السنط, Wadi es-Sunt, is a long, shallow valley in the Levant best known as the place described in the Hebrew Bible where the Israelites were encamped when David fought Goliath. It is home to several important archaeological sites, including those identified as the ancient towns of Azekah and Socho. Rising up from the valley on its extreme southeast end lies the hilltop ruin Adullam, and on its north lie the ruins of the ancient fortress city of Khirbet Qeiyafa, which is identified with the ancient town of Sha'araim.

<i>Pistacia chinensis</i> Species of tree

Pistacia chinensis, the Chinese pistache, is a small to medium-sized tree in the genus Pistacia in the cashew family Anacardiaceae, native to central and western China. This species is planted as a street tree in temperate areas worldwide due to its attractive fruit and autumn foliage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mastika</span> Mastic-seasoned liqueur

Mastika or mastiha is a liqueur seasoned with mastic, a resin with a slightly pine or cedar-like flavor gathered from the mastic tree, a small evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean region. In Greece, mastiha or mastichato is a sweet liqueur produced with the mastika resin from the Greek island of Chios, which is distilled after hardening to crystals. Sugar is typically added. It is a sweet liqueur that is typically consumed at the end of a meal. It has a distinctive flavor, reminiscent of pine and herbs. It is claimed to have medicinal properties and to aid digestion.

<i>Pistacia terebinthus</i> Species of flowering plants in the sumac family Anacardiaceae

Pistacia terebinthus also called the terebinth and the turpentine tree, is a deciduous shrub species of the genus Pistacia, native to the Mediterranean region from the western regions of Morocco and Portugal to Greece and western and southeastern Turkey. At one time terebinths growing on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea were regarded as a separate species, Pistacia palaestina, but these are now considered to be a synonym of P. terebinthus.

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Balm of Gilead was a rare perfume used medicinally, that was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, and named for the region of Gilead, where it was produced. The expression stems from William Tyndale's language in the King James Bible of 1611, and has come to signify a universal cure in figurative speech. The tree or shrub producing the balm is commonly identified as Commiphora gileadensis. However, some botanical scholars have concluded that the actual source was a terebinth tree in the genus Pistacia.

<i>Quercus coccifera</i> Species of tree

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Mastic tree is a common name for several plants and may refer to:

Turpentine tree may refer to:

<i>Commiphora gileadensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Commiphora gileadensis, the Arabian balsam tree, is a shrub species in the genus Commiphora growing in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, southern Oman, Sudan and in southeast Egypt where it may have been introduced. Other common names for the plant include balm of Gilead and Mecca myrrh, but this is due to historical confusion between several plants and the historically important expensive perfumes and drugs obtained from them.

<i>Pistacia mexicana</i> Species of flowering plant

Pistacia mexicana, also known as Mexican pistache, American pistachio or wild pistachio is a species of plant in the family Anacardiaceae found in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States (Texas). It is threatened by habitat loss.

<i>Akbesia</i> Genus of moths

Akbesia is a monotypic moth genus in the family Sphingidae erected by Walter Rothschild and Karl Jordan in 1903. Its only species, Akbesia davidi, the pistacia hawkmoth, was first described by Charles Oberthür in 1884. It is known from southern Turkey, northern Syria, northern Israel, western Jordan, south-eastern Turkey, north-eastern Iraq, south-eastern Georgia, northern Iran, eastern Afghanistan and Iranian Beluchistan. It may also occur across Azerbaijan, the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran, the Zagros Mountains of western and southern Iran, and northern Afghanistan. It often occurs in large numbers at certain sites in rocky, hilly areas supporting scattered trees and shrubs of Quercus, Olea, Ceratonia and Pistacia.

<i>Pistacia atlantica</i> Species of plant

Pistacia atlantica is a species of pistachio tree known by the English common name Mt. Atlas mastic tree, Atlas pistachio, Atlantic pistacio, Atlantic terebinth, Cyprus turpentine tree, and Persian turpentine tree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mastic (plant resin)</span> Resin traditionally obtained from the mastic tree on the island of Chios

Mastic is a resin obtained from the mastic tree. It is also known as tears of Chios, being traditionally produced on the island Chios, and, like other natural resins, is produced in "tears" or droplets.

<i>Simplimorpha promissa</i> Species of moth

Simplimorpha promissa is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It is widely distributed in southern Europe with the northern limit running approximately along the southern slopes of the Alps and along the Danube.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurdish coffee</span> Hot drink made from ground terebinth fruits

Kurdish coffee or menengiç coffee, meaning pistachio coffee or terebinth coffee, is a traditional hot beverage in Kurdish and Turkish cuisine. It is made of ground roasted terebinth fruits as the main ingredient, and is caffeine-free. It is particularly popular in parts of Southeastern Anatolia, including Turkish Kurdistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mastichodendro</span>

The Mastichodendro,, sometimes called the Mastic Tree of Chios, Pixari or Chian lentisk, is a cultivated variety of the Mastic tree or the Lentisk. The Mastichodendro is found only on the southern quarter of the Greek island of Chios, in a series of 24 villages called "Mastichochoria". The Mastichodendro can also be found on certain areas near Cesme and Alacati in Turkey, though it's not extensively cultivated.

References

  1. 1 2 "Genus: Pistacia L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2009-11-23. Archived from the original on 2014-12-03. Retrieved 2010-02-12.
  2. İsfendiyaroğlu, M.; Özekera, E. (2009). "Inflorescence features of a new exceptional monoecious Pistacia atlantica Desf. (Anacardiaceae) population in the Barbaros Plain of İzmir/Turkey" (PDF). International Journal of Plant Production. 3: 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-22.
  3. Parfitt, Dan E.; Maria L. Badenes (July 1997). "Phylogeny of the genus Pistacia as determined from analysis of the chloroplast genome". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . 94 (15): 7987–92. Bibcode:1997PNAS...94.7987P. doi: 10.1073/pnas.94.15.7987 . PMC   21542 . PMID   9223300.
  4. "Genome Warehouse".
  5. "Pistacia_vera - Ensembl Genomes 51".
  6. Zeng, L., et al. Whole genomes and transcriptomes reveal adaptation and domestication of pistachio. Genome Biol 20, 79 (2019). doi : 10.1186/s13059-019-1686-3
  7. 1 2 "GRIN Species Records of Pistacia". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  8. Herrera, Esteban (January 1997). "Growing Pistachios in New Mexico" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  9. Rod Phillips, Une courte histoire du vin, 2001

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