Trees or shrubs. Leaves entire, penninerved, without stipules. Flowers dioecious. Perianth simple, 2-5-, usually 3-lobed. Stamens 2-40; filaments more or less, usually wholly, united; anthers 2-celled, turned outwards. Ovary superior, 1-celled; ovule 1, ascending, inverted; stigma 1. Fruit fleshy, usually dehiscent. Seed with an aril; albumen copious; embryo small.--Genera 9, species 25. Tropics. (Plate 49.) 1. Stamens 30-40; filaments united at the base. Style distinctly developed. Aril very small. Inflorescence head-like.--Species 1. Madagascar. =Mauloutchia= Warb. Stamens 2-24; filaments wholly united. Style very short or absent. Aril distinctly developed. 2 2. Flowers with a bracteole at the base of the perianth, rather large, in racemes or panicles, or the female solitary. Anthers 8-24. Fruit ovoid, dehiscent. Aril slit. Albumen ruminate. Embryo with spreading cotyledons.--Species 2. Cultivated in several tropical islands. The seeds (nutmeg) and the arils (mace) are used as spices and medicaments and for the preparation of perfumes; the pericarp is edible. =Myristica= L. Flowers, at least the male, without bracteoles. Anthers 2-10. 3 3. Flowers rather large, stalked, in cymosely arranged fascicles. Perianth funnel-shaped. Anthers 4-10, somewhat shorter than the united filaments. Fruit very large, subglobose, indehiscent. Aril entire. Albumen ruminate. Embryo with spreading cotyledons. Lateral nerves of the leaves not forked, joined by distinct arches close to the margin; transverse veins faint.--Species 3. West Africa. They yield timber and oil. (Including _Ochocoa_ Pierre). =Scyphocephalium= Warb. Flowers very small, in fascicles or heads, which are sometimes arranged in racemes or panicles. Fruit ovoid or elliptical, dehiscent. Embryo with suberect cotyledons. 4 4. Flowers in simple, fascicle-or head-like inflorescences, subsessile. Anthers 3-4. Aril almost entire. Albumen not ruminate. Leaves with forked lateral nerves and distinct transverse veins.--Species 4. West Africa. They yield timber. =Staudtia= Warb. Flowers in heads or fascicles, which are arranged in racemes or panicles. Aril slit. 5 5. Flowers stalked, in fascicles. Anthers 2-7. Albumen ruminate. Lateral nerves of the leaves not distinctly confluent at the margin. 6 Flowers sessile, in heads. 7 6. Partial inflorescences supported by an involucral disc. Perianth cup-shaped. Anthers 3-5. Albumen with a cavity in the centre.--Species 4. West Africa. They yield timber and oil. =Coelocaryon= Warb. Partial inflorescences without an involucral disc. Perianth funnel-or pitcher-shaped. Albumen solid in the centre.--Species 1. Cultivated in the tropics. The seeds yield a fat. =Virola= Aubl.