CLOVES

Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum that are globally used in various dishes. Since different countries have distinct harvest seasons, cloves are accessible all year long. Clove stalks are thin stems that branch in an opposite direction along the inflorescence axis. They have a dry, woody texture and are externally brownish, rough, and irregularly wrinkled longitudinally. The ripe, ovoid, brown, unilocular, one-seeded fruits of cloves are known as mother cloves (anthophylli). Expanded blooms with corollas and stamens separated are referred to as blown cloves.