PANDANACEAE
Morphological description
Usually woody.
Leaves
Leaves simple, linear, spiral, exstipulate.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence.
Flowers
Plants dioecious, flowers minute, devoid of perianth, in compact spikes ± covered by bracts; stamens numerous.
Fruit
Fruit a syncarp.
Seed
Seed.
Different from: Palmae: leaves usually compound, rarely three-ranked and spiny, flowers with perianth. — Liliaceae (Agavaceae): leaves not spiny; flowers large with distinct perianth, not in compact spikes.
Distribution: The family consists of three genera, all represented in Malesia: - Freycinetia (Southeast Asia to Polynesia), climbers, mainly rain forest; - Pandanus (Africa to Polynesia), shrubs, trees; rain forest, swamps, sandy beach; - Sararanga (Philippines, New Guinea, Solomons), trees, rain forest.
Notes: Pandanus fruits often buoyant. — Leaves used for weaving and thatching: Pandanus. — Edible fruits: Pandanus; colouring and flavouring food: P. amaryllifolius; fruits of Freycinetia and Pandanus eaten by various animals. — Ornamentals: Pandanus.
Literature: O. Warburg, Pandanaceae, in Engler, Pflanzenreich Heft 3 (1900) 1-97; several papers by H. St. John and B.C. Stone.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Freycinetia 5, 76, 95, 96 - Pandanus 10, 70, 76, 95, 96 - Sararanga 10, 76, 96.
Illustrations: Fig. 129. Freycinetia kalamantanica B.C. Stone. Fig. 130. Pandanus helicopus Kurz.
Image in PhytoImages for Pandanaceae