Baig, Kariat, Keg, Kiat
Pandanus lamekotensis
Family: Pandanaceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows 4-7 m high. It has 5-8 branches. The leaves are 250 cm long by 9 cm wide. The leaves on the fruiting branches are smaller. There are fine thorny teeth along the edge. The fruit is a round composite fruit. When mature it is 22 cm long by 25 cm wide. It is deep orange to red. The fingers are 6-8 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. Their surfaces are not deeply furrowed. There are 10-17 nuts. Many are empty. The weathered fruit becomes very fibrous. The ripe fruit are eaten.
There are about 600 Pandanus species. They grow in the tropics.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows on Lamekot Island in Papua New Guinea. It grows on the swampy banks of creeks.
Countries/locations it is found in
Pacific, Papua New Guinea
How it is used for food
The ripe fruit are sucked and can be made into jam.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
It starts producing fruit when 1 m high so the first fruit rests on the ground.
Its other names
Local names
Va-keg, Va-keig