Myristicaceae

A pantropical family of trees, in Malesia represented by six genera: Endocomia (4 species), Gymnacranthera (6), Horsfieldia (97), Knema (75, only one species in New Guinea), Myristica (152, of which the majority endemic to New Guinea), and Paramyristica (1, Papua New Guinea). Altogether there are 335 species of the family in the Malesian area. Some species are of economic importance, for instance Myristica fragrans, nutmeg. The general part consists of 28 pages and also includes paragraphs on vegetative anatomy by P. Baas & J. Koster, on palynology by R.W.J.M. van der Ham, and on phytochemistry and chemotaxonomy by R. Hegnauer. Myristicaceae are dioecious. In addition to the general keys, mainly based on male specimens, also regional keys are given for the larger genera Horsfieldia, Knema, and Myristica, based on female (fruiting) specimens. For each species full references, synonymy, keys to infraspecific taxa, diagnostic descriptions, field-notes, distribution, and annotations regarding relationships or differences with resembling species are presented. Genera and species are arranged alphabetically. This treatment is illustrated with 94 line drawings (many full-page), 6 maps, and 4 pages with colour photographs* (inserted after p. 8).