Common Name:
Pistache
Pistachio
Some 9-10 species of evergreen or deciduous trees and shrubs. Leaves alternate, often compound, but occasionally simple. Flowers dioecious - male and female flowers on separate plants, without petals, in lateral clusters (panicles). Fruit (nut) dry, obliquely ovoid. Native to the Mediterranean region, central and eastern Asia and Texas (Pistacia texana) and Mexico. Pistacia vera is the species that produces the commercial pistachio nut.
Pistacia: from pistake, the Greek work for nut, derived from a Persian name (Stearn, 1996)
Pronunciation:
pis-TA-shi-a
Family:
Anacardiaceae (Cashew Family)