MYRISTICACEA. 499 
GENUS. 
Myristica L.—Flowers diccious; receptacle short convex. Pe- 
rianth simple calyciform, usually 3-lobed, more rarel_ }'2—4-lobed, 
valvate. Stamens, in female flower 0; in male, either 3-alterni- 
petalous, or more frequently 4-12 or co; anthers of variable form, 
2-celled extrorse, rimose longitudinally ; filaments either free from 
base or middle upwards, or longitudinally adnate to a common 
stalk, or else connate dorsally or by base around or above a stalk, 
more rarely radiating ; connective often produced into a short point 
on each anther, or all connectives uniting form a short point. 
Germen in male 0, in female free 1-celled; stigma short subsessile 
subentire, depressed or slightly 2-lobed. Ovule 1, subbasilar 
ascending anatropous ; micropyle inferior dorsal. Fruit fleshy, 
dehiscing late, longitudinally 2- or more rarely 4-valved. Seed 
suberect sessile; aril entire at base, usually lobed or cut above 
middle, coloured, thin or fleshy, often aromatic, involute; integu- 
ment threefold; outermost layer membranous or subcarnose ; 
middle testaceous ; innermost thin, with interior folds between 
lobes of ruminated albumen. Embryo minute, near apex of copious 
fleshy albumen; radicle short inferior; cotyledons diverging, flat 
or crispate-undulate-—Trees or shrubs, often aromatic and filled 
with juice; leaves alternate (distichous) entire, usually coriaceous 
with pellucid dots, penniveined, involute-conduplicate in vernation, 
exstipulate ; inflorescence racemose ; racemes (often spurious) simple 
or more frequently branched, few- or more frequently many- 
flowered, axillary or super-axillary (AU tropical countries). See p. 492. 
