fruit of the cashew-tree, placed on the end of a thickened fleshy pear-shaped receptacle (cashew-apple), popularly taken for the ‘fruit’. The shell of the nut consists of three layers, of which the middle one contains an extremely acrid black oil, which is rendered harmless by roasting the nuts before eating. The oil is sometimes used in India to protect floors from the attacks of white ants. The receptacle has an acid flavour.