Myristiceae
A natural order of trees and shrubs, having a styptic juice which reddens when in contact with the air, natives, for the most part, of tropical Asia and America, a few in Africa, and one each in Madagascar and Australia. Flowers white or yellow, dioecious, usually axillary, in racemes, clusters, heads, or panicles, inconspicuous. Fruit succulent, one-celled, two (rarely four) valved; seed solitary, usually covered by a laciniate, often aromatic axil; albumen scented. Leaves alternate, nearly distichous, shortly petioled, coriaceous, simple, entire, penninerved, folded lengthwise when young, pubescent or scaly, exstipulate. Myristiceae furnishes the well-known Nutmeg and Mace of commerce. It contains but a single genus-Myristica-and about eighty species.