Allspice
pimenta dioica
pimento officinalis, (LINDL.)
Myrtaceae

DESCRIPTION



The tree begins to fruit when three years old and is in full bearing after four years.
Flowers appear in June, July and August and are quickly succeeded by the berries.
The special qualities of the fruit reside in the rind of the berries.
It loses its aroma on ripening, owing to loss of volatile oil, and the berries are
therefore collected as soon as they have attained their full size,
in July and August, but while unripe and green.
Gathering is performed by breaking off the small twigs bearing the bunches;
these are then spread out and exposed to the sun and air for some days,
after which the stalks are removed and the berries are ready for packing
into bags and casks for exportation.
The spice is sometimes dried in ovens (Kiln-dried Allspice), but the method
by evaporation from sun-heat produces the best article, though it is
tedious and somewhat hazardous, requiring about twelve days, during which
the fruit must be carefully guarded against moisture, being housed
at night and during rainy and damp weather.
The green color of the fresh fruit changes on drying to reddish brown.
If the fruit is allowed to ripen, it loses almost the whole
of its aromatic properties, becoming fleshy sweet and of a purple-black color.
Such pimento, to render it more attractive, is then often artificially colored
with bole or brown ochre, a sophistication which may be detected
by boiling for a few seconds with diluted hydrochloric acid, filtering and testing
with potassium ferrocyanide; the liquid should assume at most a bluish-green color.
The fruits as found in commerce are small nearly globular berries,
about 3/10 inch in diameter, somewhat like black pepper in appearance,
with a rough and brittle surface and crowned by the remains
of the calyx teeth, surrounding the short style.
Fruit is two-celled, each cell containing a single, kidney-shaped seed.
Remains of the calyx crowning the fruit and presence of two single-seeded cells
are features that distinguish Pimento from Cubebs, the fruit of which is
one-celled, one-seeded and grey and from Black Peppercorns,
which are one-celled and one-seeded.
Spice derives its name from the Portuguese pimenta, Spanish pimienta, pepper,
which was given it from its resemblance to peppercorns.


ADULTERATIONS
CONSTITUENTS
DESCRIPTION
HABITAT
MAGICAL PROPERTIES
PARTS USED