identifying the oil-rich turquoise lentil-sized seeds

Can you tell me the botanical name of the tree that produces these oil-rich turquoise lentil-sized seeds? The trees grow in Amadiya, on a high plateau in Northern Iraq, near the border with Turkey. I grew up snacking on the seeds, and I know the Neo-Aramaic and Arabic name (butma or butum) for it, but not the scientific name.

The tree is a species of Pistacia, most likely Pistacia atlantica ssp. (subspecies) kurdica. There are various English common names for the tree, including terebinth, Persian turpentine tree, and Mount Atlas mastic tree. There is a documented population of this subspecies of Pistacia growing in the town of Amadiya, Iraq. (It does well on steep, dry slopes in high elevations.) These trees are often found growing in association with oak and walnut trees. (This document uses the synonym, Pistacia eurycarpa).

According to Avinoam Danin’s Plant Stories on Flora of Israel Online, only female trees of this dioecious tree produce fruits which are red when young, turning turquoise once successfully pollinated. “When the thin skin is removed the thin but hard brownish stone is reached. When the seed is opened, its green food reservoir is seen. In color it resembles the seed inside the pistachio nut. […] The common name in Arabic for three of the species known in our area is ‘butum.’ This name has preserved the ancient Talmudic name ‘botnim’ or ‘botnah.’ The scientific name Pistacia is also a derivative of a vernacular name [used in Iran].” Danin mentions that the fruits are gathered in fall, dried, and sold in spice shops in Israel. They are also pulverized and used to flavor special sweet cakes.

The tree has a long history in the Middle East, where it can be traced back to the Hebrew bible, and to stone steles describing Mesopotamian gardens and palaces.

Some sources, such as this information from University of British Columbia Botanical Garden, say the fruit of Pistacia atlantica is not eaten “directly” (because it tastes of turpentine to some palates), but taste is subjective and varies in different cultures.

There are many medicinal and ethnobotanical uses of this plant’s fruit and resin.