e-Key v3 - Anacardium
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Anacardiaceae - *Anacardium L.

Description :

  • Trees or shrubs, polygamo-dioecious
  • Leaves alternate, simple, entire, coriaceous
  • Flowers in corymbose terminal panicles
  • Sepals 5, imbricate, slightly connate at base
  • Petals 5, imbricate, reflexed, caducous
  • Stamens 7-10, 1 or 2 fertile, rest sterile, unequal; filaments connate at base
  • Disc 0
  • Ovary 1-carpous, 1-locular; ovule single, ascendent; style 1 with capitate stigma
  • Fruit obliquely reniform on swollen pedicel
  • Seeds reniform with 2 large, white, thick cotyledons
  • x = 10, 12 or 6 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • *Anacardium L.
    • Linnaeus: 383 (1753)
    • Fernandes & Fernandes: 551 (1966)
    • Kokwaro: 2 (1986)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 8 in tropical America
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: * Anacardium occidentale L., Cashew Nut, a strong-growing, spreading tree, is becoming naturalised in parts of subtropical KwaZulu-Natal

References:

  • FERNANDES, R. & FERNANDES, A. 1966. Anacardiaceae . Flora zambesiaca 2,2
  • KOKWARO, J.O. 1986. Anacardiaceae . Flora of tropical East Africa . Anacardiaceae
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum . Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm