Myristica fragrans Houtt.,

Wijnands, Dirk Onno, Heniger, Johannes, Veldkamp, Jan Frederik, Fumeaux, Nicolas & Callmander, Martin W., 2017, The botanical legacy of Martinus Houttuyn (1720 - 1798) in Geneva, Candollea 72 (1), pp. 155-198 : 179

64. Myristica fragrans Houtt.,

Nat. Hist. II(3): 333. 1774.

Lectotypus (designated here by Callmander & Veldkamp): INDONESIA. Moluccas: Anon. s.n. ( G-PREL [ G00818072 ]!) ( Fig. 8 ).

Notes. – WARBURG (1897: 472) cited a Houttuyn collection in the Vahl herbarium (C [C10015464]) in a list of specimens seen: “Houttuyn, Kopenhag, ster. Wein”. MERRILL (1938: 342) mentioned the same specimen annotated as “ Myristica aromatica ded. Dr. Houttuyn”, whereas SINCLAIR (1968: 231) mentioned two Houttuyn collections at L and one in G as “Ex Herb. Burman”. None of these publications designated a type for Myristica fragrans , the source of nutmeg.

One of the L sheets (L-908.133-1765) is annotated by Houttuyn with a reference to his publication (HOUTTUYN, 1789b). The other was given to D. van Royen in 1784 (L-908.133-1797). Two collections have been located in Houttuyn’s herbarium in G-PREL and are annotated by Houttuyn. The only collection with a reference to Houttuyn’s Natuurlijke Historie is designated here as the lectotype. The remaining collections may be considered as part of original material.

DE WILDE (2000: 470) designated a lectotype as: “ J. W. Weinmann [Taalrijk Register 7 (1748) tab. 760-a]”. However, the presence of original material in Houttuyn’s herbarium in G-PREL ( Fig. 8 ) renders this lectotypification superfluous. The origin of the lectotype is quoted as Planta Ind. Orient. in Houttuyn’s herbarium, referring to the Moluccas rather than Ceylon or Java, as is predominantly the case.

Figures

Fig. 8. – Lectotype of Myristica fragrans Houtt. in Houttuyn’s herbarium in G-PREL.