Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Pimenta dioica

Allspice

Multimedia & Additional Resources

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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Allspice, Newspice, Pimento, Pepper of Jamaica

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Caribbean - n.S.America

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Not naturalised; Land, lowlands, gardens

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: (Cond 2+)

KEY FEATURES: A tree to 9m. LEAVES opposite, fragrant when bruised; oval to narrow-oval, to15x6cm; stalk 10-15mm. FLOWERS clusters, ~terminal clusters; white, to 1cmØ; 4 petals and 4 sepal lobes. FRUIT to 7mmØ, ripening dark purple.

SIMILAR SPECIES: See under Bay-rum Tree (Pimenta racemosa)

Enlarged Image of 'Pimenta dioica'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR 
MG
AT
MK
MT
AK
PL
TK
MN
+
-
+?
-
-
-

Northern Group: -
TN 
MH
RK
PK
NS
SW
-
-
-
-
-
-

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

Pimenta dioica Linnaeus
TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ROSIDAE; Myrtales; MYRTACEAE

More Information

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: (Cond 2+). Comments: The commercially available Allspice is made from the dried unripe fruits. It has the flavour of a mixture of Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves.

GENERAL NOTE: Ripe fruits are used in Jamaica (- the largest producer of Allpspice) to make 'Pimento Dram' a Rum based drink. A leaf-oil is used to make Bay Rum undrinkable (ie to adulterate it).

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Atiu: Motel, 11/2000, no flowers, putative ID GM.

References:
p.634 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.3/305 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM03b, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org. Copy citation to system clipboard
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