Follow us on FACEBOOK
Dominica Botanic Gardens
  • Home
  • About
    • Introduction to Website
    • A Brief History
    • Plan of Gardens
    • Contemporary Commentary
  • Botanic Gardens
    • Selected Trees and Shrubs
    • Medicinal Plants
    • Gardens Activities
    • Florida's Fairchild Garden
    • Parrot and Small Animal Sanctuary
    • Birds of the Gardens
    • Three Virtual Tours
    • Panoramic Views Today
    • Early Panoramic Views
    • Hurricane David's Ravages
    • Future Developments
    • Curators and Administrators
    • Reports and Documents
    • Getting Involved
    • Related Links
  • Hosted Sites
    • Honorees
    • Island Scholars
    • Cabinet Photos
    • Treasures of the Cathedral
    • Diaspora Policy Paper
  • DAAS
  • Contact

Selected Trees and Shrubs
Pandanus sp., Common name: Screwpine


Plant Family: Belongs to the Pandanaceae or Screwpine family, which includes the Common Screwpine (Pandanus utilis) and the Tahitian Screwpine (P. tectorius). This green and yellow leafed specimen appears to be P. sanderi (Timor Screwpine) rather than the similar P. veitchii (Veitch Screwpine), the latter Macmillan describes as similar but not as robust.

Description: Sun loving, evergreen, woody shrub, up to 8 m tall (25 ft); single or multiple trunks, about 20 cm in diameter (8 in), each with several aerial prop roots with conspicuous root caps, about 5 cm across (2 in); leaves linear, parallel-veined, spirally arranged at branch tips, M-shaped in cross section, up to 2 m (6 ft) or more in length, and up to 15 cm wide (6 in), green and yellow longitudinally striped, with yellow in center flanked by green, with no spiny leaf margins, as is the case with the common screwpine; compound fruit is large and aggregated, pineapple-like; the leaves of this Pandanus make it one of the most decorative of the species; and having no spines, is a more popular specimen Screwpine.

Natural Habitat: Pandanus sp. grow wild along seashores of tropical Pacific; very adaptable to tropical soil and climate conditions, but prefer hot, dry climate and well-drained soils; are salt and flood tolerant; propagated by cuttings, which root readily when placed directly in the soil.

Origin and Distribution: Pandanus sp. are native to tropical Asia; P. sanderi and P. veitchii are reportedly mutants of the Tahitian Screwpine (P. tectorius).

Uses: Dried leaves of Pandanus sp. used to weave hats, baskets, mats, and other items; dye made from sap of roots used for rock-art painting; medicinally, plant leaves used for treating inflammation by wrapping the softened leaves around the swollen spot, to create an anti-inflammatory effect.

Indigenous Legends: Popular name, Screwpine, derives from fact that leaves emerge on stem in cockscrew-like arrangement.
​
References:
Screwpine. Top Tropicals, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 2005 (toptropicals.com)
H.F. Macmillan. Tropical Planting and Gardening. Macmillan, London 1956
Robert A. DeFilipps. Pandanaceae [Draft]. flora.huh.harvard.edu, n.d.
Robert A, DeFilipps. Useful Plants of the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 1998
​
​​Gardens Introduction

​

Preface - How it Began
Introduction to Website
A Brief History
Plan of Gardens 
Contemporary Commentary​
​Trees, Shrubs, Birds

​
​
Selected Trees and Shrubs
Medicinal Plants
​
Gardens Activities
  Florida's Fairchild Garden
Parrot/Animal Sanctuary
Birds of the Gardens
Garden Views

​
​
Three Virtual Tours
Panoramic Views Today
Early Panoramic Views
 
Hurricane David's Ravages
Future Developments
Curators/Administrators
Reports and Documents
  
Getting Involved
Related Links
Sub-sites

​

Honorees
Island Scholars
Cabinet Photos
​​Treasures of the Cathedral

​Diaspora Policy Paper
​

Visit the DAAS  Website
Picture
HOME
Site by
CONTACT 
Picture

Copyright © -  Davison Shillingford, Clayton Shillingford and (the late) Raglan Riviere