Description

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.

Characteristics:

Chinese pistache (Kakkar) is glorious tree native to the lower Himalayan slopes, from Afghanistan to Kumaon, cultivated for its attractive leaves, which are bright red when young. The tree grows up to 17 m or more tall. Leaves are compound with or without an end leaflet, 16-25 cm long. Leaflets are opposite or nearly opposite, almost stalkless, 7-9 in number, 9-12 x 2.2-3.2 cm, lance-shaped, with tapering tips. They are smooth, pale green on the under-surface. Male flower panicles are 0.8-1.2 cm long, drooping at maturity. Female flower panicles are longer and erect. Flowers are unisexual, and appear on separate trees. Sepals are 4, less than anthers in length, linear. Stamens are 5, anthers 1.8 mm long, oblong, reddish. Styles 3-parted to almost the base, stigmas recurved. Fruit is a drupe 5-6 mm broad, smooth, dry, greyish-brown in colour. Flowering: March-May.

Medicinal Uses:

All parts of the plant can be used medicinally to treat a range of conditions including dysentery, inflammatory swelling, psoriasis and rheumatism. Long, horn-shaped leaf galls that often develop on this tree are harvested and used to make kakadshringi, an herbal medicine for diarrhea in northern India.