1-153-080 - Ann Ronan Picture Library/Heritage-Images

Clove, flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum (Eugenia carophyllata). Syzygium aromaticum is a tropical evergreen tree native to the Moluccas or Spice Islands, Indonesia. The Dutch controlled the trade in cloves during the 1600s. In the 1700s the French smuggled out plants and broke the Dutch monopoly. Cloves are used as a flavouring in cooking. Oil of cloves is used for pain relief in toothache, in germicides and perfumes.