Myristica sphaerosperma A.C.Sm.

Tree 10-30 m. Twigs subterete or bluntly angled, (2-)3-5 mm diameter, early or late glabrescent, hairs powdery, 0.5 mm long; older twigs sometimes longitudinally cracking, not flaking; inconspicuously lenticellate. Leaves chartaceous or coriaceous, ovate-elliptic to elliptic(-oblong), rarely oblong, 10-25(-32) by 4-9(-10.5) cm, base (short-) cuneate or (broadly) rounded, apex acute-acuminate, upper surface olivaceous or brown, lower surface grey-brown, shaded by cinnamon (sub)persistent indumentum, hairs interwoven or widely spaced, scale-like, grey-brown, 0.1-0.2 mm, mixed with scattered ± dendroid brown hairs to 1 mm; irregularly papillose (appearing non-papillose); dots absent; midrib ± flat above, at (60-)70-80(-90)° to the midrib, lateral nerves (10-) 15-25 per side, flat or sunken, lines of interarching distinct, venation barely visible; petiole 15-25 by 2.5-4 mm; leaf bud 20 by 3-4 mm, hairs rusty 0.5(-l) mm long. Inflorescences between the leaves, ± of the Knema-type: a simple, scar-covered brachyblast 2-3 mm long, sessile or to 5 mm pedunculate, late glabrescent; in male (Clemens 4527): with a cluster of 5 or 6 flowers, buds of various sizes; female inflorescences similar to male, 1-3-flowered; flowers with hairs 0.5-1 mm. Male flowers: pedicel 8-10 by 1-1.5 mm, bracteole 2 mm, caducous; buds oblong-ellipsoid, 10-11 by 3-4 mm, cleft (1/5-)1/4. Androecium 6 mm long; androphore 2 mm, finely brown pubescent at base; synandrium 4 mm long, thecae 8-12(7), sterile apex minute. Female flowers: pedicel 5-10 by 2 mm; buds ovoid-oblong, 10 by 5 mm, apex subobtuse; ovary ovoid-oblong, 4-6 by 3-4 mm, with stiff hairs (0.5-)1 mm long, stigma 2 mm. Fruits single, subglobose or broadly (ob)ovoid, sometimes faintly beaked, or somewhat narrowed towards the base, 6-8 by 5-6.5 cm, hairs dense, mealy, rusty, 0.5(-l) mm long; pericarp 5-12 mm thick; seeds subglobose, 3-3.5 cm diameter; fruiting pedicel ± stout, 7-15 by 5-10 mm, late glabrescent, ± fissured or flaking when old.

A sub-canopy to canopy tree in mountain forest on ridges and slopes; midmontane forest, oak forest; usually on clay soils; at elevations from 800-1,600 metres.

Can be grown by seedlings.