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Myrtaceae Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & Perry

| | © W.D. Hawthorne

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Species information

Interest
Syzygium is 'united' in Greek, referring to the petals united into cap at the tip. Gk syzygos, joined; reference to the paired leaves and branchlets of a Jamaican species (Calyptranthes suzygium) for which the name was originally used, or united petals (when clove is used as a spice). German bot. Rumphius 1741 described. Spanish and portugues galleons could finance a year's travel fron a cargo of cloves delivered to Spain. A surviving shio from Magellan's voyage around the world in 1522 had 22 tons of cloves, paying for the cost of the expedition. esp. flower peduncles, leaves or flower buds. Eugenol from leaf oil. Previously used to make vanillin. Kreteks started in 1916. 1980-1984 used 50,000 metric tons per year; rest of world market 6000 tons. From 5 isl of N.Moluccas (Spice isalbds) Ternate, Tidore, Moti, Makian and Bacan. Also home to nutmeg. Han dynasty 220-260BC, courtiers had to sweeten breath with cloves before talking to emperor. (R.H. Crofton, 1936 a pageant of the spice islands). In China and Persia considered an aphrodisiac, stimulant and carminative. Chinese encourage more planting e.g. Ambon & Seram. Cengkeh Indonesian = from Chinese. In Alexandria by 176 AD, traded around Med by 4th C. Source sought- Vasco de Gama 1498, Calicut Malibar coast SW India. 1514 reached spice islands and occupied, Controlled until 1605 when Dutch took over for 200yrs. 1651 killing all trees except Ambon (where introduced), cultiavation not allowed (but custom was to plant a tree for every child born). 1789 Cayenne via Mauritius, then Caribbean. By contrast Sultan of Zanzibar ordered landowners to cultivate after 1818, so Z & P soon world leaders. Ironically, reintroduction from this limited getic 'Zanzibar' stock, which byieled bettern than own stock, is now the basis of ba thriving industry. In the 1960s-70s Zanzibar clove industry declined due to nationalisation and break up of plantations (Smith et al 1992). Dried unopened flower buds. Most used in kretek cigarettes 5 small islands in the Moluucas, cultivated >2000 years, used by Chinese in Han Dynasty (220-206BC), rexported ? planted in Ambon and Ceram. Europe by AD 176. 15 & 16 one of stimulai for explorers-> discovery of the Moluccas. Spices dominated by Portug until Dutch took over in 17th C. Sought monopoly and destroyed elsewhere. 1770s French took to Mauritius & Reunion, where one tree thought to form basis of all planted in Mad and Reunion. Zanzibar 1818. The to French Caribbean. Not much variation. (Simmons & Smartt, 1995) 1519 Magellan began his circumnavigation of South America, exploring trade routes. Nearly 3 years later, on 8 September 1522, 18 of the original 250 crewmen (lacking Magellan, who died on the isle of Mactan in April, 1521) returned to Seville, with 1 of the 5 ships that started (only the Victoria made the entire voyage). Even given such great losses, the 26 tons of cloves, sacks of nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon, and load of sandalwood returned to Spain covered the entire expedition cost. The returning captain, Sebastian del Cana, was given a pension and awarded a coat of arms that displays two cinnamon sticks, three nutmegs, and 12 cloves. A journal detailing exploits of this voyage was maintained by Antonio Pigafetta, gentleman-adventurer, and published subsequently as Primo Viaggio Intorno al Mondo. (Rosengarten, 1969; Boorstin, 1983)

Specimen information

Collection Date
18/06/2001

Collector
W.D. Hawthorne, S.Cable & D. Jules

Specimen Number
561

Location
Botanical garden around waterfall.

Notes
Tree 7 m tall. BARK: rough with finely packed ridges 1 mm wide. SLASH: fibrous, soft, cream, smell faintly fruity. LEAVES: US midrib flat. FRUIT: red, mature. (RHS colour code: Leaf upper =137A, below=143C)

Coordinates
Latitude: 12.050000 N   Longitude: 61.430000 W   Altitude: 170