Cashew (Anacardium occidentale)

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is a species of plant in Anacardiaceae where receptaculum balloons and fruit can be eaten, medium-sized tree, up to 12 m tall, wide canopy, has many branches and always green.

A. occidentale has a high canopy and is narrow or low and widens depending on conditions. The leaves are located at the end of the twigs, stem-stemmed, egg-shaped upside down, most have a tapered base and ends rounded, curved inward and 8-22x5-13 cm.



Cashew is a monoesis, androgynous flowers, collected in a smooth panicle with fine hair and 15-25 cm wide. Hairy petals and 4-5 mm. Pointy crown, 1 cm, white to red and hairy. The fruit is dark brown, bent and 3 cm high.

This tree is mainly cultivated for receptaculum balloons which expand after fertilization which is often referred to as "fruit". This pseudo fruit is a soft part that is swollen and yellow or red. Receptaculum is sometimes sold on the market as "fresh fruit" for sour taste.

The true fruit is actually a hard part, blackish brown and contains seeds that can be processed into delicious snacks that are often referred to as "nuts" (as the kernel) called mete. Mete is surrounded by a double shell that secretes urushiol sap which can cause irritation to the skin.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Sapindales
Family: Anacardiaceae
Subfamily: Anacardioideae
Genus: Anacardium L. in Sp. Pl.: 383 (1753)
Species: Anacardium occidentale L. in Sp. Pl.: 383 (1753)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Acajuba occidentalis (L.) Gaertn. in Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: 192 (1788)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Anacardium curatellifolium A.St.-Hil. in Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 23: 272 (1831)
Anacardium kuhlmannianum Machado in Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio de Janeiro 9: 89 (1949)
Anacardium microcarpum Ducke in Arch. Jard. Bot. Rio de Janeiro 3: 202 (1922)
Anacardium occidentale var. americanum Jacq. in Select. Stirp. Amer. Hist. 1: t. 181, f. 35 (1763)
Anacardium occidentale var. gardneri Engl. in A.L.P.P.de Candolle & A.C.P.de Candolle, Monogr. Phan. 4: 220 (1883)
Anacardium othonianum Rizzini in Anais Acad. Brasil. Ci. 41: 243 (1969)
Anacardium rondonianum Machado (1949)
Anacardium subcordatum C.Presl in Abh. Königl. Böhm. Ges. Wiss., ser. 5, 3: 460 (1845)
Cassuvium pomiferum Lam. in Encycl. 1: 22 (1783)
Cassuvium reniforme Blanco in Fl. Filip.: 322 (1837)
Cassuvium solitarium Stokes in Bot. Mat. Med. 2: 475 (1812)

PUBLICATIONS

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Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Exell, A.W., Fernandes, A. & Wild, H. (eds.) (1966). Flora Zambesiaca 2(2): 353-653. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe. Bothalia, A Journal of Botanical Research 41: 41-82.

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Garcia-Mendoza, A.J. & Meave, J.A. (eds.) (2012). Diversidad florística de Oaxaca: de musgos a angiospermas (colecciones y listas de especies), ed. 2: 1-351. Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.

Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Gonzalez, F., Nelson Diaz, J. & Lowry, P. (1995). Flora Illustrada de San Andrés y Providencia: 1-281. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Colombia.

Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].

Govaerts, R. (1995). World Checklist of Seed Plants 1(1, 2): 1-483, 529. MIM, Deurne.

Hammel, B.E., Grayum, M.H., Herrera, C. & Zamora, N. (eds.) (2020). Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica 4(1): 1-904. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.

Idárraga-Piedrahita, A., Ortiz, R.D.C., Callejas Posada, R. & Merello, M. (eds.) (2011). Flora de Antioquia: Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares 2: 1-939. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín.

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Jørgensen, P.M., Nee, M.H. & Beck., S.G. (eds.) (2013). Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127: 1-1741. Missouri Botanical Garden.

Kokwaro, J.O. (1986). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Anacardiaceae: 1-59.

Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590. Smithsonian Institution.

Lejoy, J., Ndjele, M.-B. & Geerinck, D. (2010). Catalogue-flore des plantes vasculaires des districts de Kisangani et de la Tshopo (RD Congo). Taxonomania 30: 1-307.

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Meena, S.L. (2012). A checklist of the vascular plants of Banaskantha district, Gujarat, India. Nelumbo 54: 39-91.

Molino, J.-F., Sabatier, D., Grenand, P., Engel, J., Frame, D., Delprete, P.G., Fleury, M., Odonne, G., Davy, D., Lucas, E.J. & Martin, C.A. (2022). An annotated checklist of the tree species of French Guiana, including vernacular nomenclature. Adansonia, sér. 3, 44: 345-903.

Morat, P. & Veillon, J.-M. (1985). Contributions à la conaissance de la végétation et de la flore de Wallis et Futuna. Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Section B, Adansonia 7: 259-329.

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Pandey, R.P. & Dilwakar, P.G. (2008). An integrated check-list flora of Andaman and Nicobar islands, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 32: 403-500.

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St. John, H. (1988). Census of the Flora of the Gambier islands, Polynesia. Pacific Plant Studies 43: 1-34.

Thiombiano, A., Schmidt, M., Dressler, S., Ouédraogo, A., Hahn, K. & Zizka, G. (2012). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Burkina Faso. Boissiera 65: 1-391.

Turner, I.M. (1995). A catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Malaya. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 47(1): 1-346.

Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2008). Flora of China 11: 1-622. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).

van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (ed.) (1974-1978). Flora Malesiana 8: 1-577. Noordhoff-Kolff N.V., Djakarta.

VERNACULAR NAME

Afrikaans: Kasjoe, Kasjoeneut
Arabic: اكاجو
Assamese: Kaju
Bali: Jambu dwipa, Jambu jipang, Nyambu monyet
Banjar: Jambu dipa
Bengali: হিজালি-বাদাম - কাজু Hijali-badam, Kaju
Betawi: Mangga monyèt
Bhojpuri: Kaju
Bugis: Jampu sèrĕng, Jampu tapĕsi
Burmese: သီဟိုဠ်သရက်သီး Thiho thayet si
Chinese (simplified): 腰果
Chinese (traditional): 腰果
Danish: Cashew
Dutch: Cashewnoot, Westindische Nierenboom
English: Cashew, Kaju, Cachou nut, Cachou nut tree, Cashew apple, Cashew nut, Cashew tree, Cashew-nut tree, Korocho nut
Filipino: Kasoy, Balubad, Balogo
Finnish: Munuaispuu
French: Cajou, Anacardier, Pomme-cajou
Galela: Buwa jakis
German: Cashewbaum
Goa: काजू
Gujarati: Kaju
Hindi: काजू - काजू फ़ेड Kaju, Kaju phed
Indonesia: Jambu Mete, Jambu Monyet
Italian: Anacardio
Japanese: カシューナットノキ - 勾玉の木
Java: Jambu ménté, Jambu médé, Jambu mété
Kannada: Geru, Godambi, Gove
Kashmiri: Kajoo
Khmer: ស្វាយចន្ទី Svaay chantii
Konkani: Kaju
Maanyan: Janggus
Madura: Jambu monyet, Jhambu monyèt
Maharashtra: काजू
Makassar: Jambu daré, Jambu masong
Malayalam: Kasumavu, Kappamavu, Parangimavu, Kasumaavu, Parankimaavu
Malaysia: Jagus, Gajus, Janggus, Jambu Gajus, Jambu Golok, Keterek, Terek, Jambu Bongkok
Manado: Buwah yaki
Manipuri: Kaju
Marathi: Kaju
Minangkabau: Jambu érang, Jambu monyé
Mizo: Sazupumpui-thei
Odia: Baja Amba, Bhalia, Hijili badama, Kaju, Lanka amba
Oria: Kaju, Lanka amba, Bajan, Lanka badam
Polish: Nanercz zachodni, Nerkowiec zachodni
Portuguese: Caju, Cajueiro, Acaju, Acajuíba, Caju-anão, Caju-banana, Caju-da-praia, Caju-de-casa, Cajueiro, Cajuí, Caju-manso, Caju-manteiga
Punjabi: Kaju
Russian: Кешью
Sanskrit: Agnikrita, Bhallataka, Kajutaka, Vrkkaphalah, Kajoo
Santali: Bilati soso
Sasak: Nyambuk nyĕbèt
Sindhi: Khajo
Sinhala: කජු
Slovak: Obličkovec západný
Spanish: Cajuil, Anacardo, Marañón, Nuez de la India
Sranan Tongo: Kasyu
Sulawesi Utara: Buwa yakis, Wo yakis
Sunda: Jambu mèdè
Swahili: mbiba
Swedish: Cashew
Tagalog: Kasoy
Tamil: முந்திரி - சிகிடிமா - கல்லார்மா - கிருட்டிணை - கொல்ல-மா - முக்கி - முந்திரி - உத்தம-பலம் Munthiri, Cikitima, Kallarma, Kiruttinai, Kolla-ma, Mukkiṉi, Muntiri, Uttama-palam
Telugu: Jidimamidi, Muntha-mamidi, Mokka-mamidi, Agrabijamu, Jeedi maamidi, Jeedi Pappu, Mokka mamidi, Muntha maamidi
Ternate: Buwa yaki
Thai: มะม่วงหิมพานต์
Tidore: Buwa Yaki
Timor: Buwah monyet
Turkish: Kaju
Urdu: کائیجو Kaju
Vietnam: Dào lôn hôt, Cây diêù

Aryo Bandoro
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