Myristicaceae (Nutmeg family) – The Myristicaceae are a family of flowering plants native to Africa, Asia, Pacific islands, and the Americas and has been recognized by most taxonomists. It is sometimes called the “nutmeg family”, after its most famous member, Myristica fragrans, the source of the spices nutmeg and mace.
The family Myristicaceae is in the major group Angiosperms (Flowering plants). It is a pantropical family of trees found in Central and South America, Africa, Madagascar, India, and Asia.
Myristicaceae consists of 20 genera and nearly 500 species of lowland rainforest trees with a pantropical distribution. They are distinctive in having small, unisexual flowers. Myristicaceae is widely used as condiment in western countries as well as a drug in medicinal systems such as the Ayurveda and Unani.