Pandanus tectorius

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Pandanus tectorius

Pandanus tectorius growing in the mountains of Hawaii

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Pandanales
Family:	Pandanaceae
Genus:	Pandanus
Species:	P. tectorius

Binomial name

Pandanus tectorius
Parkinson ex Zucc.

Synonyms

Pandanus pedunculatus R.Br.

Pandanus tectorius is a species of Pandanus (screwpine), occurring in northern Queensland, Australia and Indonesia east through the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean to Hawaii (where it is known locally as the hala tree). Its exact native range is unknown due to extensive cultivation; it may be an early Polynesian introduction to many of the more isolated Pacific islands on which it occurs.

Pandanus tectorius fruit showing phalanges.

It is a small tree that grows up to 6 m (18.3 ft) high. It is supported by prop roots that firmly anchor the tree to the ground. Its leaves are usually 90-150 cm (3-5 feet) long and 5-7 cm wide with saw-like margins. It needs to grow in warm, damp areas in partial sunlight and moist soil.

The screwpine tree's fruit is round and edible. The separated pieces (phalanges) are wedge-like in shape, with an outer fibrous husk. There can be anywhere from one to several seeds. The fruit is healthy and can be eaten raw or cooked. It is a major source of food in Micronesia, especially in the atolls. The fibrous nature of the fruit also serves as a natural dental floss. The tree's leaves are often used as flavoring for sweet dishes such as kaya jam, and are also said to have medicinal properties. In ancient times, the leaves were used for making house thatching and women's grass skirts. The fruit heads are approximately 20 cm (eight inches) in diameter and look something like a pineapple.

The seal of Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii features the hala tree, in part because lauhala, the art of weaving with the leaves of that tree, is pivotal to the history of the island, with everything from houses to pillows being made in this fashion.

The stick insect Megacrania batesii lives and feeds only on this species.