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Nutmeg
Myristica fragrans
ニクズク
An evergreen tall tree native to Indonesia, world-famous as the source of the spices nutmeg (seed) and mace (aril). In Japan, it can be seen in botanical gardens and greenhouses in Okinawa. Historically, this spice was so prized that it was traded at prices equal to gold.
Identification Points
- ✓Leathery ovate leaves, evergreen
- ✓Fruit is a fleshy yellow drupe containing a seed wrapped in red net-like aril (mace)
- ✓Tropical tall tree (outdoor cultivation in Japan only in Okinawa)
Habitat
Tropical origin (greenhouses and botanical gardens in Okinawa, Japan)
Season
Year-round (evergreen)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Evergreen
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf margin
Entire
Petal count
3 petals
Stipules
Absent
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Ovary position
Superior
Latex
Present
Stamen count
1-2
Phylogenetic Positionニクズク科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Magnoliids > Magnoliales > Myristicaceae
Divergence Era
Early to mid-Cretaceous (ca. 110 million years ago)
Evolution Notes
Myristicaceae is a basal angiosperm family close to the magnoliid clade. The essential oil-rich seeds drove the Age of Exploration as one of the most sought-after spices.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification