Monodora myristica

Monodora myristica
Illustration from Curtis's Botanical Magazine, 1831
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Annonaceae
Genus: Monodora
Species:
M. myristica
Binomial name
Monodora myristica
(Gaertn.) Dunal
Synonyms[2]
  • Annona myristica Gaertn.
  • Monodora borealis Scott-Elliot
  • Monodora claessensii De Wild.
  • Monodora grandiflora Benth.

Monodora myristica, the calabash nutmeg or African nutmeg,[1] is a tropical tree of the family Annonaceae or custard apple family of flowering plants. It is native to tropical Africa from Sierra Leone in the west to Tanzania.[1][3] In former times, its seeds were widely sold as an inexpensive nutmeg substitute. This is now less common outside its region of production.[4] Other names of calabash nutmeg include Jamaican nutmeg, ehuru, ariwo, awerewa,[5] ehiri, airama, African orchid nutmeg, muscadier de Calabash and lubushi.[4][6]

  1. ^ a b c Cosiaux, A.; Couvreur, T.L.P. & Erkens, R.H.J. (2019). "Monodora myristica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T132683482A133046260. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Monodora myristica (Gaertn.) Dunal". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 18 April 2017 – via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
  3. ^ "Monodora myristica (Gaertn.) Dunal". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Celtnet Recipes. "Calabash Nutmeg Information Page". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  5. ^ Burkill, H.M. (1985). The useful plants of West tropical Africa (Ed. 2. ed.). Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. ISBN 978-0-947643-01-0.
  6. ^ Weiss, E.A. (2002). Spice Crops. Oxon: CABI Publishing. pp. 102–103. ISBN 978-0-85199-605-9.