If you would like to support this site, please consider Donating.
Useful Tropical Plants

Pandanus castaneus

H.St.John & B.C.Stone

Pandanaceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name: Faket

No Image.

General Information

Pandanus castaneus is an evergreen tree with a branched crown growing around 7 - 9 metres tall. The short trunk is supported by a few short prop roots up to 100cm long. The long, prickly, sword-shaped leaves are around 190 - 280cm long (to 400cm in young plants), and are produced in clusters at the apex of the branches[
1820
Title
The New Guinea species of Pandanus section Maysops St.John (Pandanaceae)
Publication
Blumea 37 (1992) 31-61
Author
Stone B.C.
Publisher
 
Year
1992
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of oil.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1820
Title
The New Guinea species of Pandanus section Maysops St.John (Pandanaceae)
Publication
Blumea 37 (1992) 31-61
Author
Stone B.C.
Publisher
 
Year
1992
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

Australasia - New Guinea

Habitat

Submontane rain forest; at elevations around 900 - 1,400 metres[
1820
Title
The New Guinea species of Pandanus section Maysops St.John (Pandanaceae)
Publication
Blumea 37 (1992) 31-61
Author
Stone B.C.
Publisher
 
Year
1992
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. An understorey tree in mixed Castanopsis/Oak forest.

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height0.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

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.
]
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - fleshy and fibrous, it is a rich source of oil[
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
 
,
1820
Title
The New Guinea species of Pandanus section Maysops St.John (Pandanaceae)
Publication
Blumea 37 (1992) 31-61
Author
Stone B.C.
Publisher
 
Year
1992
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. Wrapped in leaves and baked in a hot stone oven, the solid fat in the fruit liquifies to become oil. This oil is expressed by hand to make a sauce that is spread over foods such as leafy greens or baked taro[
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 cylindrical cephalium (fruiting body) is rounded at both ends, around 25cm long and 8cm wide, composed of numerous drupes. The drupes are crowded around a fleshy mass (the mesocarp)[
1820
Title
The New Guinea species of Pandanus section Maysops St.John (Pandanaceae)
Publication
Blumea 37 (1992) 31-61
Author
Stone B.C.
Publisher
 
Year
1992
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

Although we have seen no specific records for this species, the leaves of most members of this genus are used locally for weaving a range of items such as mats, bags and baskets. The leaves, which are usually tough and fibrous, are long, narrow and sword-shaped and can easily be split into strips for weaving[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Pandanus+castaneus>

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.