Knema globularia

Family: Myristicaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 15 m tall. The trunks is 10-25 cm across. The bark if grey brown and flaking. Young branches are hairy. The leaves are oval to sword shaped and 10-20 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. They are pale underneath. Male and female flowers are separate. Fruit occur as 1-5 in a group and are narrowly oval. They are 2 cm long by 1 cm wide. They have a red aril covering the seed.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in low hilly forests and moist mountain slopes in southern China. It grows between 200-1,000 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The seed is used as a spice.

Edible parts

Seed - spice

How it is grown

In southern China plants flower December to March and fruit July to September.

Its other names

Local names

Mau-cho cau, Sma kro-bey

Synonyms

Knema corticosa Lour.; Knema corticosa var. tonkinensis Warb.; Knema missionis (Wall. ex King) Warb.; Knema sphaerula (Hook.f.) Airy Shaw; Knema wangii Hu; Myristica corticosa (Lour.) Hook.f. & Thomson; Myristica glaucescens Hook.f. & Thomson; Myristica globularia Lam.; Myristica lanceolata Wall.; Myristica missionis Wall. ex King; Myristica sphaerula Hook.f.;