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Useful Tropical Plants

Freycinetia arborea

Gaudich.

Pandanaceae

+ Synonyms

Freycinetia arnottii Gaudich.

Freycinetia longispica Martelli

Common Name: Climbing Screwpine

Freycinetia arborea
Foliage and fruits
Photograph by: Forest and Kim Starr (USGS)
Public domain
Freycinetia arborea Freycinetia arborea Freycinetia arborea Freycinetia arborea

General Information

Freycinetia arborea is a vigorous, evergreen, woody climbing plant that can reach into the forest canopy, with lateral stems that can grow from 0.5 to 2 metres in length. The plant produces slender aerial roots along the length of the stem, which attaches the plant to the tree or shrub on which it is growing[
350
Title
National Tropical Botanical Garden
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ntbg.org/plants/choose_a_plant.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
General information on almost 400 species, with descriptions, habitats and some uses.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of fibre.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Pacific Islands - Hawaii, Samoa, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia.

Habitat

Often abundant in the understory of mesic and wet forests and is easily visible either at ground level or at eye level attached to tree trunks. Also found on exposed ridges and slopes at higher elevations. Found at elevations from 300 - 1,500 metres[
350
Title
National Tropical Botanical Garden
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ntbg.org/plants/choose_a_plant.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
General information on almost 400 species, with descriptions, habitats and some uses.
].

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Climber
Height20.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

Fibre from the stems is used as cordage to bind rafters, for baskets, funnel-shaped traps, and is also plaited into helmets[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The cordage is frequently used by hula dancers[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
The aerial roots were used by Native Hawaiians for making cordage, baskets, fish-traps and feathered helmets[
350
Title
National Tropical Botanical Garden
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ntbg.org/plants/choose_a_plant.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
General information on almost 400 species, with descriptions, habitats and some uses.
].
Traditionally the roots were softened in an imu and then split so that they were pliable enough to be woven into a variety of products[
350
Title
National Tropical Botanical Garden
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ntbg.org/plants/choose_a_plant.php
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
General information on almost 400 species, with descriptions, habitats and some uses.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-08. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Freycinetia%20arborea>

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