中山大學植物介紹-林投

Scientific name : Pandanus tectorius / 中文俗名:露兜樹、野菠蘿、假菠蘿、海菠蘿 / Family :Pandanales-Pandanaceae-Pandanus-P. tectorius 

Root: Aerial root.

Stem: Evergreen shrubs or small trees, often twisted and have aerial root on it.

Leaves: Usually 90–150 cm in length and 5–7 cm in width. They possess saw-like margins. Some varieties have spines along the edges and ribs throughout the leaves. The leaves are clustering.

Flowers: Is dioecious, male flowers, known as racemes, are small, fragrant, and short-lived, lasting only a single day. The flowers are grouped in 3 and gathered in large cluster surrounded by big, white bracts. these clusters are about 1 ft in length and are fragrant. Female flowers resemble pineapples.

Fruits: The female P. tectorius trees produce a segmented, large fruit. Although not closely related, the fruit resembles a pineapple. The fruit of P. tectorius is either ovoid, ellipsoid, subglobose or globose with a diameter of 4–20 cm and a length of 8–30 cm. The fruit is made up of 38–200 wedge-like phalanges, often referred to as keys or carpels, which have an outer fibrous husk and are 8 inches in length. There are roughly 40 to 80 keys in each fruit and the color of the fruit can be yellow, orange, or red with a green top. Phalanges contain two seeds on average, with a maximum of eight reported. The phalanges are buoyant, and the seeds within them can remain viable for many months while being transported by ocean currents.  

1. Have Aerial roots to get the air above the water.

2. Have the fruits with fiber on the surface let it can float on the sea to dispersal.

Native:  From the Philippines through the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. 

Habitat : Naturally grows in coastal regions, such as on mangrove margins and beaches, at elevations from sea level to 610 m . It requires 1,500–4,000 mm of annual rainfall and seasons will fluctuate from wet to dry.

Pollination :Wind and small insects are assumed to be the pollinators .

Dispersal : They disperse by their fruits floating through the ocean. Then, after the animal ate its fruits, they will transport their seeds for them.

1.  Blooming season: Spring and Fall.

2. Fruits maturing season : August~September

3. The flowers can be extracted for the aromatic oils.  

4. The roots, leaves, and fruits can be added to medicines. 

5. The blades can be used to weave mats, caps and other crafts.