MYRISTICACEAE
Morphological description
Woody, non-climbing; red sap from cuts (sometimes not very obvious).
Leaves
Leaves alternate (mostly distichous), simple, entire, penninerved, exstipulate. Usually leaves in herbarium very brittle (except Gymnacranthera, Knema), sometimes leaves glaucous below (Knema).
Inflorescence
Inflorescence condensed (fascicled or umbellate on short peduncle). Sometimes inflorescence a many flowered panicle (Horsfieldia, Endocomia)
Flowers
Flower unisexual; usually 3-merous; tepals valvate, connate at base; filaments joined into a column; ovary superior, 1-locular, 1 more or less parietal ovule. Usually apical bud slightly curved
Fruit
Fruit usually dehiscing with two valves.
Seed
Seed covered with red aril; endosperm ruminate. Sometimes aril entire (Knema) or aril irregularly dissected (Myristica, Gymnacranthera)
Different from: Annonaceae: no red sap, apocarpous, filaments free, tepals usually imbricate; stellate medullary rays. — Ebenaceae: no red sap, ovary 3- or morelocular, calyx accrescent.
Distribution: The family pantropical; in Malesia 6 genera: - Endocomia (Indo-Malesia); - Gymnacranthera (Indo-Malesia); - Horsfieldia (Indo-Australia); - Knema (Indo-Malesia); - Myristica (Indo-Australia), mostly common trees of the lowland everwet rain forest; - Paramyristica (Papua New Guinea).
Notes: The arillate seeds are eaten, especially by birds. — Spices: Myristica. — Some species used as timber.
Literature: J. Sinclair, Gard. Bull. Sing. 16 (1958) 205- 466. — Dr. W.J.J.O. de Wilde (L) finished revising the family for Flora Malesiana.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Myristicaceae 79, 99, 104, 105 - Endocomia 21 - Gymnacranthera 21 - Horsfieldia 21, 31, 61; H. grandis 62 - Knema 21, 27, 30, 71 - Myristica 21, 26, 27, 30, 59, 71; M. myrmecophila, M. subalulata 9 - Paramyristica 30.
Illustrations: Fig. 114. Knema mogeana W.J. de Wilde: a. habit; b. fruit in LS; c. underside of leaf; d. female inflorescence; e & f. female flower; g. male inflorescence; h & i. male flower. Fig. 115. Myristica pubicarpa W.J. de Wilde: a. habit; b. male inflorescences; c. female inflorescences; d. female flower; e. fruit; f. fruit of M. succedanea Blume.
Image in PhytoImages for Myristicaceae