PISTACIA ATLANTICA: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, DISTRIBUTION, PROPERTIES - BIOLOGY - 2025

Pistacia atlantica is an arboreal species belonging to the Anacardiaceae family. It is commonly known as sheep's tongue, wild pistachio or seedling. It is a plant that grows wild in the western and eastern area of ​​Iran. It lives in natural forests and has multiple medicinal properties.

The wild pistachio is a highly branched tree that can be up to 12 m tall. Its bark is gray or blackish with many fissures. The leaves are compound odd-pinnate, are about 15 cm long, and are made up of 5 - 9 leaflets, which in turn are about 5 cm long.

Pistacia atlantica is a highly branched tree. Source: Davidbena

Male flowers are found in yellowish-green catkins, and female flowers grow in long pinkish-red clusters. The fruits are arranged in clusters of 15 cm long, they are initially red drupes, and brown-black when they mature.

The fruit of the wild pistachio is an important source of food, however, its commercialization is not as valuable as the fruits of the Pistacia vera species. It can take up to 200 years for seedlings to reach a diameter of 1 m or up to 2 m.

Oleoresin is one of its essential oils and is present in the exudate that flows from the stem after having a wound or damage. This resin in ancient times was chewed to produce good breath and to strengthen the gums.

This tree is used to treat wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, dizziness, antiseptic, lack of appetite, astringent, laxative, emmenagogue, diuretic, and carminative drug. It has recently been determined that it exerts antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, antiulcer, antitumor and anticholinesterase activity.

characteristics

Appearance

The almácigo is a highly branched deciduous tree, has a wide crown and can be about 12 m high. The bark of this tree is gray or blackish and older individuals have many scales.

Leaves

The leaves are odd-pinnate, up to 15 cm long and have 5 to 9 leaflets of about 5 cm long, whose morphology is oblong-lanceolate, asymmetric at their base and deformed by the purple galls present.

Female flowers of the wild pistachio. Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz

flowers

The seedling is a dioecious species. In both individuals (male and female), flowers develop without petals and not very showy.

For their part, male flowers are found in yellowish-green catkins, and female flowers grow in long red-pink clusters.

Fruit

The fruit of this tree is a fleshy drupe, initially red in color and brownish-black when ripe. The fruits are arranged in clusters up to 15 cm long, and have a pointed appearance.

Fruits of Pistacia atlantica. Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz

Taxonomy

-Kingdom: Plantae

-Filo: Tracheophyta

-Class: Magnoliopsida

-Order: Sapindales

-Family: Anacardiaceae

-Gender: Pistacia

-Species: Pistacia atlantica Desf.

Some synonyms for this species are: Lentiscus atlantica, Lentiscus mutica, Pistacia atlantica subsp. cabulica, Pistacia atlantica var. latifolia, Pistacia atlantica subsp. mutica, Pistacia cabulica, Pistacia chia, Pistacia mutica f. multiplayer.

Compound seedling leaves. Source: English: This image was scanned or photoreproduced by Andrew Butko. Contact infоrmation - e-mail: Other scans see here.Русский: Это изображение было отсканировано или перефотографировано Андреем Бутко. Контактная информация - e-mail: Другие отсканированые предметы см. здесь.

Habitat and distribution

Wild pistachio is found as part of the flora of thermophilic forests, between 150 and 900 meters above sea level. Wild pistachios can be found naturally in abundance and establish formations known as almacigares. In addition, it develops on slopes and ravines.

This species resists water stress and also grows in very arid environments. It is distributed in North Africa, the eastern Mediterranean or the Canary Islands, among others.

Its habitat has been greatly affected by agricultural and forestry exploitation, which has caused the reduction of the territory available for its growth.

Pistacia atlantica is a deciduous species. Source: Davidbena

Properties

Pistacia atlantica gum resin or extract is used to treat liver diseases, digestive disorders, neurological problems, respiratory problems, and parasitic infections. It also serves as an anti-inflammatory and immunomodulator.

Wild pistachio has been studied for its gastroprotective and antibacterial activities against metronidazole-resistant Helicobacter pylori. In clinical studies, beneficial effects against infection and colonization by this bacterium have been demonstrated, where alpha-pinene is highlighted as responsible for this protective effect.

Chemical composition

Pistachio is made up of unsaturated fatty acids, sterols, triacylglycerols, tocopherols, phenols, and pigments in its oil.

Some of the compounds found in wild pistachio seed oil are pheophytin, luteoxanthin, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, carotene, and chlorophyll a.

Pistacia atlantica seed. Source: Tracey Slotta @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Other important compounds are caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, pinoresinol, vanillin, coumaric acid, and ferulic acid. These phenols are known for the direct relationship between the total content in plants and the antioxidant action.

Applications

The fruit of the seedbed is used in ground form by the natives of Iran to flavor food.

Due to its high content of unsaturated fatty acids, it is beneficial for diets, as well as being used as an oil for salads or for the manufacture of margarine.

Another use of the seedbed is the use of its resin to make varnishes, lacquers, and give a good smell to homes.

It serves as a graft pattern for the Pistacia vera tree (alfóncigo or pistachio), to increase the production of the nuts of this species (pistachios).

The seedbed has been very exploited for the use of its wood, which is solid, aromatic and shows various colors. Also, wood is very useful as fuel for sugar mills.

Fruits of the wild pistachio. Source: Lazaregagnidze

Culture

The seedbed requires a location in direct sunlight, a light soil with good drainage and deep. It can grow in dry soils without any problem.

It is not a cold resistant species, therefore it is recommended to grow it in arid or hot areas.

Pruning is done during the spring. Plants are cultivated dioeciously if seed is to be obtained. In addition, it is usually cultivated near the Pistacia vera species.

Care must be taken against the attack of fungi which cause root rot.

For its propagation, the seed must be hydrated for 16 hours in alkaline water, or 3 to 4 days in warm water and sown at the end of winter, under cold conditions or in a greenhouse.

Also, the seed can be cold stratified to increase germination. The seedlings should be kept for at least a month in greenhouse conditions, or during their first winter.

References

1. Zahra, M., Mohammad, S., Mahbubeh, B., Mannan, H., Mohammad, H., Mahdi, G., Farideh, S., Parastoo, S. 2017. Protective effect of essential oil of Pistacia atlantica Desf. on pepticulcer: role of α-pinene. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 37 (1): 57-63.
2. Saber-Tehrani, M., Givianrad, MH, Aberoomand-Azar, P., Waqif-Husain, A., Jafari Mohammadi, SA 2013. Chemical composition of Iran's Pistacia atlantica Cold-Pressed Oil. Journal of Chemistry, vol. 2013, Article ID 126106, 6 p. Taken from: hindawi.com
3. Shakarami, Z, Esmaeili Gouvrchin Ghaleh, H, Mansouri Motlagh, B., Sheikhian, A., Jalali Kondori, B. 2019. Evaluation of the protective and therapeutic effects of Pistacia atlantica gum aqueous extract on cellular and pathological aspects of experimental asthma in Balb / c mice Avicenna J. Phytomed, 9 (3): 248-259.
4. Catalog of Life: Annual Checklist 2019. Species details: Pistacia atlantica Desf. Taken from: catalogueoflife.org
5. Plants for a future. 2019. Pistacia atlantica - Desf. Taken from: pfaf.org
6. Arbolapp Canarias. 2019. Pistacia atlantica Almácigo. Guide of wild trees of the Canary archipelago. Taken from: arbolappcanarias.es
7. Pourreza, M., Shaw, J., Zangeneh, H. 2008. Sustainability of wild pistachio (Pistacia atlantica Desf.) In: Zagros forest, Iran. Forest Ecology an Management 255: 3667-3671.
8. Rural Atlas Gran Canaria. 2019. Seedling Pistacia atlantica. Taken from: atlasruraldegrancanaria.com