the pistachio tree

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Pistachio
• green-almond
• pistachio nut
• Pistachio Nuts

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pistacia badghysi
• Pistacia nigricans
• Lentiscus vera
• Pistacia trifolia
• Pistacia nemausensis
• Pistacia narbonnensis
• Pistacia narbonnensis var. bauhini
• Pistacia vera var. trifolia

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Pistacia vera, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Sapindales, it is classified under the family Anacardiaceae. Finally, it is categorized within the genus Pistacia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several regions of Europe. In Southwestern Europe, it can be found growing in both France and Spain. Moving toward the eastern part of the continent, its presence extends into Southeastern Europe. Specifically, it is located within the borders of Bulgaria and Greece. Furthermore, the species is also widely distributed across Italy in Southeastern Europe.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Pistacia vera is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse range of topographical landscapes, including forests, hills, meadows, mountains, shrubberies, and stony places. This species exhibits significant adaptability to varying altitudes, maintaining an elevational range that begins at 450 m AMSL and extends up to a maximum of 2000 m AMSL. Such a broad vertical distribution allows it to occupy various ecological niches, from lower-lying shrub-dominated areas to more rugged, mountainous terrains.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

450 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, hills, meadows, mountains, shrubberies, stony places

Life history

The life history of Pistacia vera is characterized by its status as a perennial species, meaning it persists through many years of growth and reproduction. As a long-lived woody plant, it undergoes a slow developmental progression, often requiring several years to reach maturity and become commercially productive. Its life cycle begins with seed germination, leading into a prolonged vegetative phase where the plant establishes a robust root system and a sturdy woody structure. Following this establishment period, the plant enters its reproductive stage, characterized by the annual production of flowers and subsequent nut development. Throughout its lifespan, the plant exhibits seasonal rhythms, entering periods of dormancy during colder months and undergoing vigorous growth and flowering during the spring and summer seasons.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pistacia vera is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, functioning as a self-supporting structure rather than a climber or liana. This species is strictly terrestrial in its habitat, possessing neither aquatic nor epiphytic tendencies, and it grows as an independent organism without parasitic requirements. In terms of physical dimensions, the plant typically reaches a height ranging from a minimum of 5 meters to a maximum of 10 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

10 m

Plant height min:

5 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Pistacia vera is characterized by a highly efficient metabolic framework adapted to semi-arid environments, primarily utilizing the C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, its carbon fixation process occurs through the Calvin cycle, where CO2 is directly incorporated into a five-carbon sugar by the enzyme RuBisCO, a mechanism that requires careful regulation of stomatal conductance to balance gas exchange with transpiration rates in water-limited habitats. To mitigate the risks of photorespiration and water loss, the plant exhibits significant physiological plasticity, including the ability to regulate osmotic potential through the accumulation of compatible solutes and the maintenance of robust antioxidant systems to combat oxidative stress during high-temperature periods. Furthermore, its physiological processes are closely integrated with specialized root systems that optimize nutrient uptake and water acquisition, supporting the high metabolic demands of nut development and seasonal growth cycles.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Pistacia vera is characterized by a specific flowering season that typically commences in March and concludes in May, though the timing can be variable across different environments. Following the pollination period, the plant produces fruits that exhibit highly consistent dimensions, with a mean length of 2 cm (ranging from a minimum to a maximum of 2 cm) and a mean width of 1 cm (ranging from a minimum to a maximum of 1 cm). Within these fruits, the seeds possess a very stable mass, with a mean, minimum, and maximum value all recorded at approximately 1.176 g.

Flowering time :

Mar

Flowering time :

May

Fruit length max:

2 cm

Fruit width max:

1 cm

Seed mass max:

1.176 g

Seed mass mean:

1.17625 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Pistacia vera has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed.

Seed

1. Acta medica Iranica

Chemicals

Pistacia vera has 112 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include AFLATOXIN B1, Fatty acids, Imidacloprid, resveratrol, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid.

AFLATOXIN B1

1. Journal of the science of food and agriculture
2. Journal of AOAC International
3. The plant pathology journal

Fatty acids

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Imidacloprid

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Food chemistry

resveratrol

1. CNS neuroscience & therapeutics
2. Journal of cellular physiology

9,12-Octadecadienoic acid

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

9-octadecenoic acid

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

AFB1

1. The plant pathology journal

AFLATOXINS

1. Journal of AOAC International

ALUMINUM

1. Dr. Duke

ANTIMONY

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Pistacia vera has 436 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiangiogenic, Antidiabetic, Antitumor, Cardioprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta medica Iranica
3. Journal of microencapsulation
4. Journal of cellular physiology

Antiangiogenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Research in pharmaceutical sciences

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of cellular physiology

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of cellular physiology

Cardioprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of cellular physiology

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of cellular physiology

Sedative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta medica Iranica

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AP-1-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Pistacia vera has 14 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Diabetes mellitus, Fusarium infections, breast cancer, cancer, central nervous system disorders.

Diabetes mellitus

1. Basic and clinical neuroscience

Fusarium infections

1. Current medical mycology

Breast cancer

1. Journal of natural medicines

Cancer

1. Research in pharmaceutical sciences

Central nervous system disorders

1. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Cervix cancer

1. Journal of natural medicines

Colon cancer

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry

Hemorrhoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hepatocellular carcinoma

1. Journal of natural medicines

Melanoma

1. Acta medica Iranica

Preparations

Pistacia vera has 2 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous-methanolic extract (1:1; v/v), oleo gum resin extracts.

Aqueous-methanolic extract (1:1; v/v)

1. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Oleo gum resin extracts

1. Research in pharmaceutical sciences