Myristica malabarica Lam. (MYRISTICACEAE)
Common names
Kannada: Dodda Jaikai, Kanage, Rampatre.
Malayalam: Pannam panu, Kattu jathi, Chorapali.
Tamil: Pathiri, Kattu jaathi kaai.
Telugu: Ramapatri.
Description: Trees, up to 15 m tall. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, up to 16 x 5.5 cm, acute at base, subacute at apex. Male flowers in slender, 2-3-chotomous, subumbellate cymes. Perianth segments 3, minutely scurfy-puberulous outside. Filaments and connectives connate in a column; anthers 10-14. Female flowers are arranged in subumbellate cymes with few flowers. The ovary is densely covered in rufous tomentum, and the stigma is large with two lobes. The fruits are subcylindrical, measuring approximately 5 x 3 cm, and display a rusty tomentose covering. The seeds are oblong, and the aril is irregularly lobed and laciniate, appearing yellow.
Flowering & Fruiting: February – August.
Distribution: India: In evergreen forests of Western Ghats below 800 m. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. Endemic. A threatened species.
Uses: The yellowish mace is used as an adulterant for true mace (Myristica fragransHoutt.). Wood reddish brown, light, moderately hard, not durable, locally used for building construction; suitable for light furniture, match boxes and splints. Seed used in external application for indolent ulcers; crude fat from seeds analgesic and used in rheumatism.