Myristica frugifera
Content
Description
Tree 10-20 m.
Leaves chartaceous or thinly coriaceous, elliptic(-oblong) or oblong-lanceolate, 18—30(—35) by 6—11(—13) cm, base (attenuate or) rounded, or cordate, apex (sub)acute(-acuminate);
Inflorescences pedunculate, between the leaves or below, with sparse hairs 0.1 mm or less, glabrescent;
Fruits 1-3 per infructescence, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid-oblong, 5-7.2 by 3-4.5 cm, hairs light to dark brown, scurfy, 0.1 mm, partially glabrescent;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Philippines (Philippines present), Leyte present, Luzon present, Mindoro present
Malesia: Philippines (Luzon, Leyte, Mindoro).
Taxonomy
2 Myristica frug if era seems related to M. extensa (Borneo), M. maxima (West Malesia), and M. philippensis (Philippines). Myristica extensa has an indistinct papulation on the lower leaf surface. Myristica maxima is quite distinguishable by its generally denser indumentum on the lower leaf surface and a blackish drying colour of the leaves. Myristica philippensis differs in its roughly pubescent leaf bud, hairs l(-2) mm.
1 The material of this species is slightly heterogeneous, according to the islands of provenance. Sinclair & Edano 9595 (Luzon) has glabrous immature fruits, olivaceous leaves, drying grey below, with 25-30 pairs of lateral nerves, and links up very well with FB 12783 (Leyte) also with immature fruits. The three collections from Mindoro, Ridsdale 803,1175 and 7279 (type), all in fruit, are almost identical and differ from the Luzon and Leyte specimens in the twigs rather brown on drying instead of blackish brown, and bright brown subcoriaceous leaves with fewer (20-25) pairs of nerves. The infructescences are either subsessile (e.g. Ridsdale 803, in part) or up to 5 cm pedunculate (Ridsdale 1175).