River pandanus, River screwpine, Water Pandan
Pandanus aquaticus

Family: Pandanaceae

What it is like

A tall shrub or small tree. It can grow singly or form a slump. It mat or may not have prop roots. The leaves are long and narrow. They are 100-140 cm long and 5-6 cm wide. The leaves can be strap like or slightly triangular. There are brown-tipped spines long the edge. The male flower arrangement is branched and 20-30 cm long. There is a whitish bract below each flower branch. The male flower spikes are 4.5 cm long. The male flowers are pale yellow. The female flower arrangement is unbranched. They have 100 cm white bracts below them. The fruiting head is 10-15 cm across. They ripen yellow. The drupes separate and are 3-4 cm long by 0.5-0.9 cm wide and are club shaped. They are fleshy when ripe. The seeds are 0.6 cm long.

There are about 600 Pandanus species. They grow in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in shallow water along the edges of streams. It requires a sunny position and an abundance of water. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from fresh seed.

Its other names

Local names

Gandjandjal

Synonyms

Pandanus delestangii Martelli; Pandanus kimberleyanus H. St John; Pandanus oblanceoloideus H. St John; Pandanus spechtii H. St John;