Pandanus antaresensis
H.St.John
Pandanaceae
Common Name:
General Information
Pandanus antaresensis is an evergreen tree with a branching crown; it can grow up to 33 metres tall. The bole can be unbranched for the first 16 metres, and produces prominent aerial stilt roots that can be up to 10 metres long, with large spines near the base. Long, spear-shaped leaves up to 230cm long and 10cm wide are produced in clusters near the ends of the branches[
867- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 70
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis
- Year
- 1983
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A botanical journal. This edition includes an article on the arborescent Bauhinias of tropical America. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1819- Title
- Ethnobotany of Wopkaimin Pandanus: Significant Papua New Guinea Plant Resource
- Publication
- Economic Botany, Vol. 38, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1984), pp. 287-303
- Author
- Hyndman D.C.
- Website
- http://www.jstor.org/stable/4254642
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
,
1822- Title
- Revision of the Genus Pandanus Stickman, Part 35 Additional Pandanus Species from New Guinea
- Publication
- Pacific Science (1973) Vol. 27, No 1, pp 44-91
- Author
- St.John H.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1973
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. It is also sometimes cultivated for its edible seed[
658- Title
- Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- French. B.R.
- Publisher
- Author.
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
1822- Title
- Revision of the Genus Pandanus Stickman, Part 35 Additional Pandanus Species from New Guinea
- Publication
- Pacific Science (1973) Vol. 27, No 1, pp 44-91
- Author
- St.John H.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1973
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
Range
Australasia - western New Guinea
Habitat
Primary forest; at elevations from 1,600 - 2,500 metres[
658- Title
- Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- French. B.R.
- Publisher
- Author.
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
,
1822- Title
- Revision of the Genus Pandanus Stickman, Part 35 Additional Pandanus Species from New Guinea
- Publication
- Pacific Science (1973) Vol. 27, No 1, pp 44-91
- Author
- St.John H.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1973
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 23.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Species in this genus generally grow well in most moist, well-dained soils and a sunny position[
974- Title
- Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants - Identification and Cultivation of over 3,000 Tropical Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ahmed Fayaz
- Publisher
- Firefly Books Ltd.; New Zealand
- Year
- 2011
- ISBN
- 978-1-55407-489
- Description
- A good photograph and terse but detailed information for over 3,000 species of tropical plants. An excellent reference.
]
Plants can produce seeds all year round[
1819- Title
- Ethnobotany of Wopkaimin Pandanus: Significant Papua New Guinea Plant Resource
- Publication
- Economic Botany, Vol. 38, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1984), pp. 287-303
- Author
- Hyndman D.C.
- Website
- http://www.jstor.org/stable/4254642
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The small seed is hard to extract from the thick shells - it is often cracked between two stones[
1819- Title
- Ethnobotany of Wopkaimin Pandanus: Significant Papua New Guinea Plant Resource
- Publication
- Economic Botany, Vol. 38, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1984), pp. 287-303
- Author
- Hyndman D.C.
- Website
- http://www.jstor.org/stable/4254642
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The prominent aerial stilt roots with their large spines make this species very difficult to climb - it is the only nut- or oil- bearing Pandanus in New Guinea that is harvested by simply collecting the fallen, ripened cephalia from the ground[
1819- Title
- Ethnobotany of Wopkaimin Pandanus: Significant Papua New Guinea Plant Resource
- Publication
- Economic Botany, Vol. 38, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1984), pp. 287-303
- Author
- Hyndman D.C.
- Website
- http://www.jstor.org/stable/4254642
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Edible Uses
Seed - cooked[
658- Title
- Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- French. B.R.
- Publisher
- Author.
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
]. The seed is small and hard to extract from the thick shells[
658- Title
- Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- French. B.R.
- Publisher
- Author.
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
].
The fruits are large clusters made up of groups of 5 nuts. When ripe, the fruits turn red and the nuts drop to the ground individually. They are usually harvested after they fall from the trees - the outside fibres are burnt off and then the shells split to release the seeds[
658- Title
- Food Plants of Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
- French. B.R.
- Publisher
- Author.
- Year
- 2006
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Published on-line in PDF format, this book contains information on several hundred New Guinea food plants.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The leaves are used for thatching[
1819- Title
- Ethnobotany of Wopkaimin Pandanus: Significant Papua New Guinea Plant Resource
- Publication
- Economic Botany, Vol. 38, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1984), pp. 287-303
- Author
- Hyndman D.C.
- Website
- http://www.jstor.org/stable/4254642
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Propagation
Seed - can be slow to generate.
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
