Knema attenuata - Wild Nutmeg

Wild Nutmeg is a tree up to 20 m tall. Bark is brownish, usually smooth, irregulary flaky; blaze reddish. Branches are arranged in whorls, horizontal. Young branchlets are round, rusty tomentose. Red sap oozed from cut end of bark. Leaves are simple, alternate, carried on stalks 0.6-1.3 cm long, stout, rusty velvety when young and hairless when mature. Leaves are 12-23 x 3.5-8 cm, narrow oblong to oblong or narrow-elliptic to lanceshaped, tip gradually pointed to long-pointed, base rounded or acute, margin entire, leathery, shining above, glaucous beneath, rusty velvety when young. Midrib is raised above, secondary nerves are prominent, 13-21 pairs, gradually curved, prominently raised beneath and slightly raised above. Flowers are unisexual, dioecious. Male flowers are borne on short axillary peduncle, rusty velvety. Female flowers arise 1-3, on stalks up to 0.8 cm long. Capsule is elliptic, up to 4 cm long, 2-valved, rusty velvety; seed one with crimson red lacinated aril. Wild Nutmeg is endemic to the Western Ghats - South, Central and south Maharashtra Sahyadris.