Myristica elliptica Wallich ex Hook.f. & Thomson
Family
Myristicaceae
Synonyms
Myristica calocarpa Miq., M. sycocarpa Miq.
Vernacular Names
| Malaysia | Penarahan arang ayer (General), tabah, tajam penggali (Peninsular). |
| English | Swamp nutmeg |
| Indonesia | Sungkit-sungkit (Sumatra). |
| Thailand | Chan-muang (Nakhon Si Thammarat). |
Geographical Distributions
Myristica elliptica is distributed from Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo (Sarawak and Kalimantan) and intervening islands.
Description
M. elliptica is a small to medium-sized tree up to measuring 33 m tall. Its bole is up to measure about 95 cm in diametre and with buttresses or stilt roots in the wet habitats. The bark is smooth or rough and reddish-brown to grey-brown or pale brown in colour .
The leaves are chartaceous, with a size of measuring about 12-18(-28) cm long, hairless and slightly glaucous below. The secondary veins are 12-17 pairs, faint and slightly raised above.
The male inflorescence is measure about 2-2.5 cm long with short branches. The male flowers are measuring about 8-9 mm long and smooth to appressed puberulous while the female flowers are measure 8-9 mm long.
The size of measure 7-8 cm long fruit is obliquely oblong in shape and smooth.
Ecology / Cultivation
M. elliptica is closely related to M. simiarum. It occurs in seasonal and permanent swamp areas, on river banks, less frequently in undulating country at low and medium altitudes.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 5 (2): Timber trees: Minor commercial timbers.
