Myristica is a genus of trees in the family Myristicaceae. There are over 150 species, distributed in Asia and the western Pacific as far as Vanuatu. Approximately 100 species are found on New Guinea alone, and practically all of them are island specific.
The type species of the genus, and the most economically important member, is Myristica fragrans (the nutmeg tree), from which mace is also derived.
Etymology
The name Myristica is from the Greek adjective myristikos, meaning ‘fragrant, for anointing’, referring to its early use.
The adjective is from the noun μύρον myron (‘perfume, ointment, anointing oil’).
Description
All or nearly all species are dioecious. Knuth (1904) however cites a report of trees being male in their sex expression when young and female
later. Perianth of one whorl of three largely united segments. Stamens two to thirty, partly or wholly united. The ovary is superior, consisting of a single uniovulate carpel.
Species in this genus use secondary pollen presentation (pollen presentation in the flower which does not use an anther), the type of which is Pollenhaufen (German for ‘pollen-heap’), where pollen is in an exposed heap at the base of the flower.
. - Leipzig: Engelmann.
Selected species
There are 172 accepted Myristica species as of April 2021 according to Plants of the World Online.
Selected species include:
