155, 150. 
MYRISTICA oFFiciNaLis. 
True Nutmeg. 
DIGCIA MONADELPHIA.—Nar. Orv. MYRISTICZ, Bn. 
Gen. Cuar.—Masc. Cal. 0. Cor. campanulata, tri- (rarius 4-) fida. Fila~ 
mentum columnare. Anthere 6-10, connate. Fam. . 0. Cor. cam-= 
* panulata, tri- (rarius 4-) fida, decidua. Stylus 0. Stigmata 2. Drupa 
nuce arillata monosperma.— Willd. 
Myristica officinalis ; foliis oblongis acuminatis glabris subtus albidis 
nervis simplicibus pedunculis uni- paucifloris, perianthio urceolato. 
M. officinalis, Linn. Suppl. p. 265.—Gartn. De Fruct. v.i. p. 194. t. 41. £. 1. 
M. moschata, Tuuns. in Act. Holm. 1782. p. 45.—Wit.p. Sp. Pl. v. iv. p. 869. 
M. aromatica, “ Lam. Act. Par. 1788, p. 155. t. 5, 6, 7.” 
La Muscade, Sonnerat, Voy. de la Nouv. Guin. p. 194. t- 116, 117, 118. 
Nux Myristica seu Pala, Rumen. Herb. Amboin. v. ii. p. 14. t. 4. 
The trunk of the Nutmeg Tree rises to a height of about 30 feet, with many 
spreading branches, and has been compared to that of a Pear-tree: the 
bark greyish-brown, and tolerably smooth, abounding in a yellowish juice. 
Leaves slightly aromatic, almost destitute of stipule, from 5 to 6 inches 
long, oblong, approaching to elliptical, agate —— at the base acu 
minate at the extremity, quite enti » d some- 
what shining above, beneath whitish, but neither pul il Ov 
nerves parallel, simple, prominent, and of a brownish colour aidsheath: 
Petiols from half to three quarters of an inch in length, plane above. 
Of the Flowers ; the male and _ female are lateral and axillary, upon separate 
trees; but except by the blossom, it is not possible to distinguish one 
sex from another *. The exterior, both of the male and female flowers 
and of the pedicels, is obsoletely clothed with reddish down. 
Mate FLowers. 
Peduncles bearing the flowers in an imperfect kind of raceme, of froni 3 to 
5 single blossoms, about an inch long; sometimes forked; the part that 
* In Dr Roxsunen’s MSS. at the India House, the following curious fact is re- 
lated : A eS co Garis, am Go ths iro ot eg 
righ a encores tre acne etre 23 for the two first years of 
thei blossoming, way Senctrnetion feed SS ee 
3 4. 
. eo 
you. LS eee 
