Uskeke
Myristica schleinitzii

Family: Myristicaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree. It grows to 15 m tall. Sometimes it has stilt roots. The twigs are slender and smooth. The leaf is oval and 8-32 cm long by 5-12 cm wide. The base of the leaf if often rounded or heart shaped. The midrib and veins are sunken in the top surface of the leaf and raised underneath the leaf. The leaf stalk is 1-2 cm long. The male and female flowers are separate on the same tree. The male flower cluster is 5-7 cm long. The female flower cluster has fewer and shorter branches than the male. The fruit are oval and 3.5 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. They are yellow. The base of the fruit is narrowed into a false stalk 3-4 mm long. The fruit stalk is slender and 2-2.5 cm long. The seed is 3 cm long by 1 cm wide. It is covered with a red aril. It is divided irregularly.

There are about 120 Myristica species. They grow in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows naturally near the coast. It is often growing on coral rocks.

Countries/locations it is found in

Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands

How it is used for food

The fruit have been recorded as being used as a spice.

A minor food in Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Fruit as a spice

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Myristica mas non Rumph.; Myristica sphanogheana non Miq.; Myristica faroensis Hemsl.;