From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
The seed of a large, tropical evergreen native to the Moluccas, with small yellow flowers and large, very fragrant leaves, surrounded by a red, fleshy casing, which is mace, a spice with its own distinct characteristics, more delicate and subtle than nutmeg. Nutmeg is thought to be the last of the exotic spices to become known in Europe, although it has been documented among the spices and aromatics left inside Egyptian tombs. There's still controversy as to whether the Greeks and Romans were truly familiar with nutmeg and mace. The first authenticated identification of nutmeg was thought to have been at the Byzantine court in the 6th century, brought by Arab traders from Asia. A component of its oil, myristicin, is a hallucinogen, and nutmeg has been used as an inebriant since 1576, despite unpleasant side effects when taken in large doses, such as nausea, vomiting and dry mouth. See also mace.
