Bark
The bark is greyish black.
Myristica fragrans
Syn. Myristica aromatica
IUCN Red List
Data Deficient
(DD)
Local name
- Nutmeg (English)
- Jayaphala (Gujarati/Hindi)
- Jatiphala (Sanskrit)
Tree type
Evergreen
Deciduous
Family: Myristicaceae
11m
Indicated uses
Medicinal
Edible
Ornamental
Avenue
Other
Flowering & fruiting
Flowering
Fruiting
Key characters
Leaves
The leaves are elliptic or oblong-lanceolate and leathery.
Flower
Small, pale yellow, bell-shaped flowers are fleshy and highly fragrant, arranged in small axillary cymes.
Fruit / Seeds
The nutmeg fruit is similar in appearance to an apricot. When fully mature it splits in two, exposing a crimson-colored edible pulp surrounding a single seed, the nutmeg.
Did you know?
Nutmeg is unique for producing two different spices from the same fruit. The seed becomes nutmeg, while the bright red, lacy covering around it is dried to make mace. It is believed that in the 17th century, nutmeg became extraordinarily valuable in Europe, partly because it was believed to protect against or cure the plague.
Distribution
Maluku (Banda Islands)