See text The Myristicaceae are a family of flowering plants native to Africa, Asia, Pacific islands, and the Americas[3] and has been recognized by most taxonomists.

The family consists of about 21 genera with about 520 species[4] of trees, shrubs and rarely lianas (Pycnanthus) found in tropical forests around the world.

The flowers are usually small, highly reduced, fragrant, with 3-5 tepals, inner perianth whitish-green, yellow, orange, reddish-pink to rusty-brown, arranged in axillary paniculate inflorescences or unbranched wart-like structures (like Knema).

[9] The most important products of the family by far are the nutmeg and mace spices, both derived from respectively the seed and aril of Myristica fragrans, a tree native to the Moluccas.

A hallucinogenic snuff (containing a derivative of tryptamine) that is used by certain Amazonian tribes is obtained from the bark of Virola elongata and other closely related species.

[11] A fossil seed of †Myristicacarpum chandlerae from the early Eocene London Clay flora of southern England is the earliest record of Myristicaceae.