Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J.W.Moore var. racemosa

  • Authority

    Landrum, Leslie R. 1986. Campomanesia, Pimenta, Blepharocalyx, Legrandia, Acca, Myrrhinium, and Luma (Myrtaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 45: 1-178. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Myrtaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J.W.Moore var. racemosa

  • Type

    HT: herb. Miller; ; Barbuda (BM(photo, NY-11086)) Specimen in Miller herbarium at BM

  • Synonyms

    Caryophyllus racemosus Mill., Myrcia pimentoides DC., Myrtus tabasco Willd. ex Schltdl. & Cham., Amomis acris var. parvifolia O.Berg, Amomis acris var. grandifolia O.Berg, Amomis acris var. obtusata O.Berg, Amomis pimento O.Berg, Amomis pimento var. surinamensis O.Berg, Amomis pimento var. jamaicensis O.Berg, Amomis oblongata O.Berg, Amomis oblongata var. occidentalis O.Berg, Amomis oblongata var. orientalis O.Berg, Pimenta officinalis var. cumanensis O.Berg, Pimenta officinalis var. tabasco (Willd. ex Schltdl. & Cham.) O.Berg, Pimenta acris var. pimentoides (DC.) Griseb., Pimenta acuminata Bello & Espinosa, Pimenta dioica var. tabasco (Willd. ex Schltdl. & Cham.) Standl., Pimenta tabasco (Willd. ex Schltdl. & Cham.) Lundell

  • Description

    Variety Description - Leaves elliptic, oblong, or obovate, 4.5-16.5 cm long, 2.9-7 cm wide, 1.6-2.4 times as long as wide, glabrous or essentially so. Inflorescence 4.5-12 cm long, the branches glabrous to sparsely pubescent; hypanthium 2-3 mm long, essentially glabrous; Calyx-lobes ca. 0.5-1 mm long, ca. 1.5-2 mm wide.

  • Discussion

    Pimenta racemosa var. racemosa has been widely cultivated in the American tropics, and to some extent in the old world also. The leaves have a strong spicy or lemony odor. The “bay rum” of commercial importance is a mixture of the essential oils of spicy odored P. racemosa and white rum. Pimenta racemosa var. racemosa is probably the main source of these essential oils. For a detailed report on the production of “bay rum” and its chemical constituents see Guenther (1950). For a listing of the medicinal uses that are made of racemosa see Morton (1981).

    Myrtus tabasco Schlechtendal & Chamisso was considered by Berg to belong to Pimenta officinalis (=P. dioica), giving it varietal status under that species. The type was annotated by Urban as P. acris, which in his sense is equivalent to P. racemosa. I have seen only a photo of the sterile type and think that it is probably P. racemosa, although it is difficult to be sure. Pimenta officinalis var. cumanensis Berg is based on the same type specimen. The problem of Myrtus tabasco is discussed more completely under P. dioica.

  • Common Names

    bay, bay tree

  • Distribution

    Pimenta racemosa var. racemosa is probably native to the Lesser Antilles (from St. Thomas to Trinidad), Puerto Rico, and Cuba.

    Cuba South America| Puerto Rico South America| Virgin Islands South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Anguilla South America| Antigua and Barbuda South America| Montserrat South America| Guadeloupe South America| Dominica South America| Martinique South America| Saint Lucia South America| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines South America| Barbados South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America|