Myristica fragrans Houtt.

Tree 4-10 m. Twigs 1-2 mm diameter, yellowish brown, early glabrescent, hairs pale, 0.1 mm or less; older twigs grey-brown, striate; lenticels inconspicuous. Leaves charta-ceous or thinly coriaceous, (ovate-)elliptic to oblong, 6-13 by 3.5-6.5 cm, base attenuate, apex acute-acuminate; upper surface olivaceous, lower surface pale, olivaceous or greyish white, early glabrescent, hairs 0.1 mm; not conspicuously papillose; dots absent; midrib raised above, lateral nerves 6-12 per side, at 60-80° to the midrib, flat or sunken above, lines of interarching usually not distinct, venation faint or distinct below, contrasting in colour or not; petiole 7-12 by 0.7-1.5 mm; leaf bud 5-10 by 1 mm, hairs 0.1 mm or less. Inflorescences between the leaves, axillary or sometimes a few mm supra-axillary, essentially paniculate; in male: peduncle slender, 5-20 mm (with an apical flower or not) and with one or two opposite, slender (but thicker than the peduncle), scar-covered (scars spirally arranged and rather widely spaced) brachyblasts, to 20 mm long, up to 5-flowered at apex, buds usually very variable in size, sometimes male inflorescences reduced to 1-3 almost sessile long-pedicelled flowers; female inflorescences: peduncle slender, up to 5 mm, 1(-3)-flowered; bracts minute, caducous. Inflorescences and flowers with widely spaced, appressed, pale brown hairs, 0.1 mm or less, partly glabrescent. Male flowers: pedicel slender, 10-15 mm long; bracteole broadly ovate or semi-circular, c. 2 mm, ± caducous; buds ellipsoid-oblong, 7-8 by 4-5 mm, apex and base rounded, cleft c. 1/5, lobes 0.3 mm thick, at anthesis somewhat spreading. Androecium slender or broad, 5-6 mm; androphore 2-2.5 by 1 mm, hairs 0.1 mm or less, or nearly glabrous; synandrium 3 by 1—1.2(—1.5) mm, thecae 14-20(-24), sterile apex subacute, 0.5 mm. Female flowers: stouter than male flowers, pedicel 8-12 mm long, bracteole caducous, apical or up to 2.5 mm below; buds ± ovoid, apex narrow, base broadly rounded, 7-8 by 5 mm, cleft c. 1/5, lobes at anthesis curved outward; ovary ovoid, 5 by 3 mm, hairs less than 0.1 mm. Fruits solitary, pendent, broadly pear-shaped or almost globose, 4-6 cm long (6-9 cm diameter when fresh), early glabrescent, hairs widely spaced, dull brown, 0.1 mm; pericarp 10-15 mm thick; seeds broad-ellipsoid, 3 cm; fruiting pedicel 10-15 mm, ± widened towards the fruit.

A tropical plant. It is native to Maluku in Indonesia. It suits hot humid tropical places and needs a fertile well drained soil. It grows in lowland areas and needs protection from wind. It cannot tolerate drought. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. At MARDI. In Yunnan.

The seed is used for the spice called nutmeg. This is used to flavour custards, sauces, cakes and pies. The red layer (aril) around the seed produces the spice called mace. It is used in soups, sauces, curries, fruit salads, cakes, pickles and baked goods. The outer shell of the fruit is sliced, cooked and crystallised to make a candy. It is also used for pickles. CAUTION The oil in the seed contains a poisonous drug called myristicin.

Trees are normally grown from seed. Seeds are slow growing. They can take 30 months to germinate. Plants can also be grown by cuttings and grafting. A spacing of 9 m apart is suitable. A ratio of a male tree to 10 female trees is used. Extra male trees are removed.