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PIMENTO OR ALLSPICE
Pimenta dioica (L.) Merrill, family Myrtaceae

Pimento is a semiwild crop in Jamaica and the nearby islands where most of the world's supply is produced (Chapman 1966). Deliberate planting of pimento in Jamaica is negligible (Chapman and Glasgow 1961).

Plant:

The plant is an aromatic tree to 40 feet tall, with 6-inch oblong leathery leaves that shed twice a year. The dried, unripe fruit is a dark- brown, round berry, one-fourth inch across, known as allspice. Its flavor is considered to be a combination of the flavors of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; hence the name allspice. Oil extracted from the dried berries is a stimulant carminative (Purseglove 1968*). Although the trees superficially appear to be hermaphrodite, some of them actually function as male and others as fruiting female trees. The differences in the two types are recognizable at harvesttime. Chapman (1966) suggested planting or budding male trees as alternate trees in alternate rows to provide pollination for the bearing trees.

Inflorescence:

The inflorescence consists of a cluster of several dozen white flowers, 2 to 6 inches long, each flower having four tiny petals, a single style with one ovary, two ovules, and a cluster of anthers. As the flower opens, the style straightens, and although the stigma is raised above the anthers, the flower appears to be hermaphrodite. However, there are differences in flowers between trees. The barren or male-type tree has many flowers, each of which has 75 to 100 anthers per flower. These flowers produce much pollen. Most of the flowers shed, but one or two per tree may produce one-seeded fruit. The bearing or female-type tree has fewer flowers, and the flowers have fewer anthers. The small amount of pollen produced is nonviable but may serve to lure pollen-coated bees from other trees. A bearing tree may produce 20 pounds of berries per year but yields of 150 pounds for one tree have been recorded. The flowers are attractive to honey bees and some other pollinators (see Chapman 1964*,1966).

Pollination Requirements:

Ward (1961) bagged inflorescences and obtained only 19 berries as compared to more than a thousand obtained from a similar number of flowers that were not bagged, which established that the flower must be cross-pollinated. Chapman and Glasgow ( 1961 ) considered the barrenness physiological.

Pollinators:

Ward (1961) believed that wind was the primary pollinating agent. Chapman (1966) considered the plant to be cross-pollinated by bees.

Pollination Recommendations and Practices:

Chapman (1966) recommended the placement of honey bee colonies in the plantings to transfer the pollen to receptive stigmas. The relative concentration of colonies was not indicated.

LITERATURE CITED:

CHAPMAN G. P.
1966. FLORAL BIOLOGY AND THE FRUITFULNESS OF JAMAICA ALL- SPICE (PIMENTA DIOICA (L.) MERRILL). In 2d Internatl. Symposium on Pollination, London, 1964. Bee World 47(Supp.): 125-130.

______and GLASGOW S. K.
1961. INCIPIENT DIOECY IN PIMENTO. Nature [London] 192: 1205-1206.

WARD, J. F.
1961. PIMENTO. 18 pp. (Hors. Dept. Min. Agr. and Lands) Govt. Printer, Kingston, Jamaica.

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