Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Netherlands
Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Netherlands
Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Netherlands
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Taxon
Myristica fragrans
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Common name:
Muskaatboom, Nutmeg, Nutmeg, Mace, 肉豆蔻 Roudoukou
Family:
Myristicaceae (Nutmeg)
Distribution:
Indonesia
Hardiness:
Zone 10
Life form:
Tree
Comments:
Nutmeg is native to the humid tropics of Indonesia, but is nowadays also grown in Grenada and Sri Lanka. This species is dioecious, so only the female trees bear the precious fruits: the seeds are the oil-rich nutmegs, while mace is the bright-coloured layer around the seed, the aril. In the tropics the tree can grow up to 10 metres high, with leaves of up to 12 cm long, which have silvery scales when they are young. The pale yellow flowers grow no larger than 1 cm. Nutmeg and mace are used in a variety of dishes, and the oil is used in toothpaste, cigarettes and soap – too much of it is dangerous because of the toxin myristicin. Both the genus name Myristica and the species name fragrans refer to the fragrance of the plant and its fruits.
Links:
Flora of China
Locations
1:
High glasshouse
(KAS 123)
• Accession: HBL20130178/1
Area
Individual