Myristica fatua (PROSEA)
Introduction |
Myristica fatua Houtt.
- Protologue: Nat. hist. pl. 2(3): 337 (1774).
Synonyms
Myristica tomentosa Thunb. (1782), Myristica spadicea Blume (1826), Myristica plumeriifolia Elmer (1911).
Vernacular names
- Indonesia: hai (Seram), pala utan (Ambon), pala laki-laki (Banda)
- Philippines: uyat-uyat (Yakan).
Distribution
South-eastern Kalimantan, Sulawesi, the Philippines and the Moluccas.
Uses
The wood has been used as penarahan, e.g. for house building. The nut has been used medicinally against headache, or pounded with senna ( Cassia ) as a purgative.
Observations
A small to medium-sized tree up to 20 m tall, bole with low buttresses and stilt roots; leaves chartaceous to slightly coriaceous, (20-)25-35 cm long, pale yellow to whitish due to minute scales below, secondary veins 20-25 pairs, sunken above; male inflorescence on lateral spur shoot; male flowers 7-8 mm long, rusty appressed tomentose outside, female flowers about 6 mm long; fruit oblong, 5-7.5 cm long, shortly tomentulose. M. fatua is a very variable species, formerly divided into many varieties. Most of these are now regarded as distinct species. It is found in well-drained forest, on clay or volcanic soil, up to 500 m altitude.
Selected sources
138, 145, 216, 234, 544, 568, 718.