Dilip Walse Patil

Scientific Name : Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr.

Category : Angiosperms

Status : Alive

Habit : An evergreen tree with whitish gray bark that peels in thin sheets. Leaves : Pungent, aromatic, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, leathery with veins prominent on ventral side. Inflorescence : Panicles Flowers : Small, white in colour. Fruit : Dark brown in colour. Significance : The green berries are picked and then dried. The whole dried fruit is ground to produce the spice or condiment Allspice. Both pulp and seeds are aromatic with a very high content of eugenol oil. This oil is also extracted from the leaves and the bark of the tree. Allspice is used in pickles, ketchup and marinades, in cooking meats, and vegetables and to flavor pumpkin pies, cakes and candies.