Myristica argentea Warb.

Tree 5-20(-40) m. Twigs 1.5-2 mm diameter, with minute indumentum, early glabrescent; older twigs 3-5 mm diameter, grey-black, coarsely striate, with cracks and conspicuous raised pustulate lenticels. Leaves membranous, elliptic-oblong to oblong (-lanceolate), 9-25 by 3-10 cm, base broadly to narrowly attenuate, apex acute-acuminate; upper surface olivaceous, lower surface silvery (brownish), seemingly glabrous, with a ± rough cobweb-like texture, hairs scattered, grey or pale brown, scale-like, less than 0.1 mm; not papillose; dots absent; midrib above slender, slightly raised above, raised below, bright-brown, contrasting in colour with the silvery lower surface of the blade, lateral nerves 9-17 per side, at (45-)60° to the midrib, slightly sunken above, lines of interarching distinct or not, venation fine, ± scalariform, faint on both surfaces; petiole 10-20 by 1.5-2.5 mm; leaf bud somewhat curved, ± oblique, 6-10 by 1 mm, hairs 0.1 mm or less. Inflorescences axillary or to 5 mm supra-axillary, among the leaves, sometimes axillary to reduced caducous leaves, early glabrescent, paniculate; in male: 3-5 cm, peduncle slender, ± flattened, (5-) 10-30 mm long, ending in one central flower and two lateral brachyblasts to 20 mm, with scars of fallen bracts and pedicels, each ending in a loose cluster of 2-5 flowers, buds of different sizes; female inflorescences: peduncle 5—10(—15) mm, ending in a single stout-pedicelled flower; flowers with scattered appressed dark brown hairs less than 0.1 mm, denser towards the apex. Male flowers: pedicel slender, 10-17 by 0.6-1 mm, bracteole as a low collar 1 mm high, caducous, leaving a narrow ring-shaped scar; buds ovoid-oblong or ellipsoid-oblong, 11-12 by 5-5.5 mm, apex subobtuse, not angled, base broadly to narrowly rounded, cleft 1/6, lobes at anthesis ± erect, 0.3 mm thick. Androecium slender, 8-9.5 m; androphore 3 by 0.5-0.7 mm, subglabrous or hairs pale, less than 0.1 mm, scattered towards the base; synandrium oblong, 5-6.5 by (1-) 1.5-2 mm, thecae c. 15, sterile apex 0.3 mm. Female flowers: pedicel straight, stout, 8-12 by 1-1.5 mm, with scattered wart-like lenticels; buds ovoid-oblong, narrowed towards the apex, 8-10 by 5-5.5 mm, cleft 1/4-1/5, lobes 2(-2.5) mm long; ovary fusiform or flask-shaped, 6 by 2-2.5 mm, gynophore 1 mm, all densely minutely grey-brown pubescent. Fruits solitary, ± ellipsoid-fusiform, 6.5-7.5 by 3.5-4.5 cm, apex narrowed, base somewhat contracted into a pseudostalk, 3-8 mm long, early glabrescent, brown, usually set with conspicuous coarse pale pustules or lenticels; seeds 4 cm; fruiting pedicel 8-18 mm.

Sandy clay soils in primary forests at elevations around 250 metres. Primary forest, sloping forest; on sandy clay over limestone.

UsesCultivated in W New Guinea for its aromatic mace; the nut is less aromatic as compared to that of M. fragrans, but is said to be used medicinally, especially in Java.

Can be grown by seedlings.