Semecarpus is a genus of plants in the family Anacardiaceae. It includes 87 species native to the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, Malesia, Taiwan, Papuasia, Queensland, and the South Pacific.
The genus Semecarpus was erected by Carl Linnaeus the Younger in 1782 in Supplementum Plantarum.[1] In the same work, he described Semecarpus anacardium.[2] The gender of the genus name has been the subject of some confusion. Early authors treated it as feminine. As one example, in 1850, Carl Ludwig Blume described a number of species of Semecarpus, such as Semecarpus heterophylla and Semecarpus longifolia, using feminine endings for the specific epithet.[3] However, Example 3 of Article 62 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants states that all compounds ending in the Greek masculine ‑carpos or ‑carpus are masculine.[4], the International Plant Names Index and Plants of the World Online used masculine endings, such as Semecarpus heterophyllus and Semecarpus longifolius, while the Global Biodiversity Information Facility had mixed endings, such as Semecarpus heterophylla and Semecarpus longifolius.
, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:[5]