nutmeg

Spice made from the seed of a tropical tree (Myristica fragrans), native to the Moluccas of Indonesia. It has a distinctive pungent fragrance and is used in cooking and sachets and as incense. The tree yields fruit eight years after sowing, reaches its prime in 25 years, and bears fruit for 60 years or longer. The name nutmeg is also applied in different countries to other fruits or seeds, including the Brazilian nutmeg (Cryptocarya moschata), the Peruvian nutmeg (Laurelia aromatica), and the California nutmeg (Torreya californica).

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