Podra

Podra (conventionally translated as "nutmeg/mace") is a species of trees found in Naiparku. It grows in inland terra firma forests with tall, straight trunks with fine vertical fissures. They are a shade-intolerant species and are rarely found in shaded environments, and flowering only happens when sunlight is sufficient year round, and usually at the end of summer. They produce solitary axial flowers that are about 3 cm in diameter, with 12 light pink lanceolate petals, many stamens so short that almost only the anthers are visible, and a single long yellow carpel. After the flower wilts (after two weeks after flowering), a single round fruit develops and matures in about a month.

There are multiple ways to utilize the plant as spice. Although the basic flavor profile is the same, there are subtle differences between them:


 * The pulp of the mature fruit is called podrayabetre ("yellow nutmeg"). It is either dried and ground into powder, sliced into small shreds (dried or not), or crushed and used as paste. It is milder and sweeter with a caramelized taste. It is the original use of the spice.


 * The translucent membrane between the fruit and the seed is called nanapodra ("imbuer-mother of nutmeg", or "mace" for short). It has the smallest production and is very sought after for its particularly unique floral fragrance, and so is the most expensive.


 * The thoroughly dried mature seed is called podrakye ("brown nutmeg") It has the strongest and most sturdy, meaty flavor. It was originally used as a medicine (for circulation and digestion), before coming to be used as a spice and become the main form that is exported. It has to be completely sun-dried, or the humidity will shorten its conservation time considerably.


 * The immature fruit (including seed) is called podrashatah ("white nutmeg"). It is slightly bitter and spicy, with a prickly sensation. It originally was (and still is frequently) used as a medicine (for anything thought to involve the overexpression of imbuer energy: ADHD, anxiety, panic disorder, bipolar disease, bulimia, hypersexuality, skin diseases.) The immature fruit contains a higher level sulfate that can make people sick when ingested (Nahmons having especially low tolerance), so it is processed by slightly crushing and washing the fruit in water for several hours before drying it. The workers involved in this process often fall ill from the sulfur that they're exposed to nevertheless.