From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
1. the aril, or bright red lacy covering, of the nutmeg, which is the seed of an evergreen, Myristica fragrans, native to Indonesia. Nutmeg and mace were brought to the Mediterranean by Arab traders in the 12th century and later became a lucrative monopoly along with cloves. In the brief period when they controlled the Moluccas, the British introduced the nutmeg tree to Singapore and the West Indies. The trees reach about 40 feet (12 m) in height and have smooth, dark green leaves and small flowers. Any recipe calling for nutmeg can use mace as a substitute, which is similar in flavor, but more subtle and much more expensive. See also nutmeg. 2. a popular name for maca.
