Spec. Plant Willd. iv. 752. Cl. 22. Ord. 5. Dicecia Pentandria. Nat ord. Anacardiaceae.. G. 1782. Male. Calyx five cleft. Corolla none.-Female. Calyx three-cleft. Corolla none. Styles three. Drupe one-seeded. Species 4. P. Terebinthus. Chian Turpentine-tree. Med. Pot. 2d edit. 29.t12. Du Hamel, Arbres, ii. t.87. Species 6. P. Lentiscus. Mastich-tree. Med. Bot 3d edit. 26.

t.11. Du Hamel, Arbres, ii. t.136.

1. Pistacia Terebinthus.1

Officinal. Terebinthina Chia, Lond. Resina liquida, Dub. Chian Turpentine.

Syn. Terebinthe de Chio (F.), Zypriseher Terebinthin (G), Trementina de Cipro (I.).

The tree which yields the Chian turpentine is a native of Barbary and the south of Europe. It is cultivated in the islands of Chios and Cyprus, and also bears the severity of our climate; where, however, it is cultivated only as an ornamental tree, flowering in June and July. It is low in stature, sending off many spreading branches, and is covered with a smooth bark: the leaves are pinnate, composed of three pair of lanceolate, ovate, veined, entire leaflets, with a terminal one: the male and female flowers are on different trees. The male are in an amentum, with the calyx divided into five small, ovate segments; the filaments, four or five in number, very short, and supporting large, brown, erect, quadrangular anthers. The female are placed on a common peduncle in alternate order; consisting of a calyx of three small squamous segments, and an ovate germen crowned with two or three styles, with reflected clubbed stigmas. The fruit is subovate, reddish, smooth, and gibbous towards the top on one side.

The turpentine is gathered chiefly in Chios, by making incisions in the bark of the trunk of the tree, in the month of July. It is allowed to flow upon stones placed at the bottom of the tree, and after being condensed by the cold of the night, is scraped off the following morning before sunrise. It is then reliquefied by the heat of the sun, and strained to free it from any extraneous matter; and in this state is imported into this country in casks. On account of its high price, Chian turpentine is often adulterated with common turpentine.

Dioscoridis. Der Terpentinbaum (G.) Terpentlntrae (Dan.), Le Terebinthe (F.), II Terebhito (I.) Cornicabra (S., Port.), Skipidarnoe derewo (Russ.).

Qualities,-Chian turpentine has a fragrant odour, a moderately warm taste, devoid of acrimony or bitterness; and a white or very pale yellow colour: it has the consistence of thick honey, is clear, transparent, and tenacious; and in its other qualities, as well as its medicinal properties, resembles the other turpentines. See Pinus.

2. Pistacia Lentiscus.1 Officinal. Mastiche, Lond. Pistachiae Lentisci resina, Edin. Dub. Mastic.

Syn. Mastic (F.), Mastix (C), Mastice (I.), Almastiga, Almaciga (S.), Almaccda da India (Port.), Roomie Mustike (Tarn.), Sakes (Turk.), Arah (Arab.), Kinneh (Pers.).

The lentisck, or mastich tree, is a native of the Levant, particularly the island of Chios. It flowers in May, and ripens its fruit in August.2 It is a low tree, seldom exceeding twelve feet in height, and eight inches in thickness; is covered with a smooth brown bark; and towards the top sends off numerous branches : the leaves are abruptly pinnate; consisting of five or six opposite pairs of narrow, ovate leaflets, of a full lucid green colour on the upper, and a pale hue on the under side; they are sessile on the common footstalk, which has a narrow, foliaceous membrane or wing on each side, running from one pair of leaflets to the other. The male and female flowers are on distinct trees, and resemble those of the former species: the fruit is a drupe, containing an ovate smooth nut, of a brownish colour when it is ripe.

Mastic is most abundantly obtained in the island of Chios. Transverse incisions are made in the trunks and branches of the lentisck trees, from the 15th to the 20th of July, from which the mastic slowly exudes, some dropping on the ground, which is made smooth and hard as the pavement for the purpose of receiving it; and some remaining fixed on the trees, and hardening so as to require, for its detachment, the aid of a sharp iron chisel. In both instances it concretes into a yellowish, semi-transparent substance. It is not gathered until August, when fresh incisions are made; and a second gathering takes place about the middle of September: no more incisions are made after this period of the year, but the gathering is continued, twice a week, until the 19th of November.

The low trailing lentiscks yield the finest mastic, and in the greatest quantity. Chios exports annually about 1508 cwts., part of which is brought to this country packed in chests.1 That which is in the form of brittle grains is the best.

Dioscoridis. Der Mastixbaum (G.), Mastikboom (Dutch), Maslixtrae (Dan.), Lenlisque (F.), Lentisco (I., S., Port.), Xihudia (Turk.).

2 It appears to have been cultivated in Britain so early as 16.64. But it never attains here any degree of perfection.

Qualities.-Mastic is almost inodorous, unless when rubbed or heated, when it exhales an agreeable fragrant odour. It is nearly insipid; and when chewed, at first crumbles, feeling gritty between the teeth, but by degrees becomes soft and white. When it is heated it melts. Ether dissolves it entirely; but in alcohol about one fifth remains undissolved, which has, when moist, the characters of caoutchouc2, but becomes brittle when dried; and therefore apppears to be a peculiar vegetable principle. It appears to amount to nearly a fifth of the mastic.3 In some respects this principle resembles the pure resins, being brittle, semi-transparent, fusible, insoluble in water, and soluble in ether; but it differs in being insoluble in alcohol. Mastic, when distilled with either water or alcohol, gives over very little with these liquids4; and this is perhaps an essential oil.

Medical properties and uses. - Mastic has generally been regarded as astringent and diuretic, and is ordered for the same diseases as turpentine: but its virtues, if it has any, are very trifling. The wood and leaves of the lentisck were used by the ancients in fluor albus and ulcerations of the uterus; and the Turkish and Armenian women use the mastic as a masticatory for cleaning the teeth, and giving an agreeable odour to the breath. It is employed to fill the cavities of carious teeth, for which purpose it is well adapted, from its property of softening in the mouth, and imparting little taste.