Anacardium occidentale L.

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Photo: Susan Pell
Nicaragua Christian Academy, Managua, Nicaragua

Photo: Bart Wursten
Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Sune Holt
Vilankulo, Inhambane, Mozambique

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Synonyms:
Common names:	Cashew nut (English)
Description:	Tree, rarely a shrub. Leaves spirally arranged, shortly petiolate, broadly oblong-obovate, up to 18 cm long, leathery shiny green above, paler below, reddish when young; midrib prominent below; lateral veins 9-17 pairs. Flowers in branched terminal heads, yellowish-white, tinged pale reddish. Fruit kidney-shaped, greenish yellow, hanging from a very thickened, fleshy pedicel.
Notes:	This species is recorded in FZ 2(2): 551 for E Zimbabwe. The specimen cited is Chase in GHS 75835, which was collected in Mutare in fruit on 4 April 1957. There is no evidence from the material in SRGH as to whether this was a cultivated plant or a naturalised escape. However, in SRGH, the specimen has been placed in a cultivated plants folder. We shall therefore assume that Anacardium occurs only as a cultivated genus in Zimbabwe.
Derivation of specific name:	occidentale: occidental, western
Flowering time:	Sep - Oct
Worldwide distribution:	Tropical America; cultivated throughout the tropics and an occasional naturalized escape.
Growth form(s):	Tree.
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Image last updated:	Friday 12 September 2008
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 476. (Includes a picture). Fernandes, R. & A. (1966). Anacardiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(2) Pages 551 - 552. Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22 SANBI, Pretoria Page 27. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 47. Parker, T. (2023). Common Trees of Mozambique The Tree Press, Austin, Texas, USA Pages 22 - 23. (Includes a picture). Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 23. Van Der Veken, P. (1960). Anacardiaceae Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi Volume IX Pages 7 - 8.

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African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Anacardium occidentale
African Plant Database: Anacardium occidentale
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Anacardium occidentale
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Anacardium occidentale
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Anacardium occidentale
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iNaturalist: Anacardium occidentale
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Anacardium occidentale
JSTOR Plant Science: Anacardium occidentale
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Anacardium occidentale
Plants of the World Online: Anacardium occidentale
Tropicos: Anacardium occidentale
Wikipedia: Anacardium occidentale