Myristica argentea
Content
Description
Tree 5-20(-40) m.
Leaves membranous, elliptic-oblong to oblong (-lanceolate), 9-25 by 3-10 cm, base broadly to narrowly attenuate, apex acute-acuminate;
Inflorescences axillary or to 5 mm supra-axillary, among the leaves, sometimes axillary to reduced caducous leaves, early glabrescent, paniculate;
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;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Maluku (Maluku cultivated), Geelvink Bay present, Mt Cluer Bay area present, Papua Barat present, Seram cultivated, W Bird's Head present
Malesia: Papua Barat (W Bird's Head, Mt Cluer Bay area, Geelvink Bay), locally endemic; elsewhere cultivated, e.g. in the Moluccas (Seram).
Taxonomy
1 Clearly related to M. fragrans, but easily distinguishable by its somewhat larger leaves with silvery undersurface and the coarsely lenticellate-pustulate twigs.
2 Some variation has been found in BW 6346 (Kalkman),with the male buds broadly rounded at the base and a grooved disc-like thickening around the insertion of the androphore, features not found in e.g. Atasrip 707.
Uses
Cultivated 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.
Citation
W.J. de Wilde 1995 – In: Blumea: 260
Warb. 1897: Mon. Myrist.: 446
Burk. 1935: Diet. Econ. Prod. Malay Penins.: 1523
Markgr. 1935 – In: Bot. Jahrb. Syst.: 165
J.Sinclair 1968: p. 235. – In: Gard. Bull. Sing.: f. 20
Foreman 1978 – In: Handb. Fl. Papua New Guinea: 187
Warb. 1897: Die Muskatnuss: 347
K. Heyne 1927: Nutt. PL Ned. Indie: 638
K. Schum. & Laut. 1900: Fl. Schutzgeb. Siidsee: 328