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.[2][3]
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.[4]
The adjective is from the noun μύρονmyron (‘perfume, ointment, anointing oil’).[5]
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.[6]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.[7]
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.
Some species of Myristica have been reclassified into the genus Virola by some botanical authorities.
Taxa that have been reassigned, or otherwise removed from the genus include:
^Wheatley, J.I. (1992), A guide to the common trees of Vanuatu: With lists of their traditional uses and ni-Vanuatu names, Republic of Vanuatu Department of Forestry, pp. 172–4
^Washburn, Homer Charles; Blome, Walter Henry (1936). A Text-book on Pharmacognosy. Edward Letter. p. 77. Myristica, from the Greek "myristikos," of or pertaining to ointments, so named because of its early use as a flavoring for this type of preparations.
