Kewda

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Screw-pine

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pandanus odoratissimus var. loureiroi
• Pandanus carnosus
• Pandanus chelyon
• Pandanus blancoi
• Pandanus alloios
• Pandanus sinensis
• Pandanus linnei
• Keura odora
• Pandanus linnaei f. philippinensis
• Pandanus odoratissimus var. sinensis
• Pandanus tectorius var. borneensis
• Pandanus tectorius var. sarawakensis
• Pandanus odorifer f. rubricoloratus
• Pandanus phamhoangii
• Pandanus verus var. littoralis
• Pandanus karikayo
• Pandanus verus var. flaccidus
• Pandanus inclinatus
• Pandanus tectorius var. loureiroi
• Pandanus incrassatus
• Pandanus odoratissimus var. hueensis
• Pandanus impar
• Pandanus odoratissimus f. vietnamensis
• Pandanus integriapicis
• Pandanus tectorius var. utinensis
• Pandanus intraconicus
• Pandanus tectorius var. ferreus
• Pandanus loureiroi
• Pandanus tectorius var. samak
• Pandanus maldivecus
• Pandanus tectorius var. sinensis
• Pandanus tectorius var. liukiuensis
• Pandanus subcubicus
• Pandanus ambiglaucus
• Pandanus obtusus
• Pandanus fosbergii
• Pandanus hartmanii
• Pandanus odoratus
• Pandanus hendersonii
• Pandanus globosus
• Pandanus fascicularis
• Pandanus projectens
• Pandanus rubricoloratus
• Pandanus smitinandii
• Pandanus samak
• Pandanus semiorbicularis
• Pandanus vietnamensis
• Pandanus reversispiralis
• Pandanus remotus
• Pandanus rheedei
• Pandanus subulatus
• Pandanus subcarnosus
• Pandanus albibracteatus
• Pandanus adduensis
• Pandanus linnaei
• Pandanus hueensis
• Pandanus leucanthus
• Pandanus boryi
• Pandanus odoratissimus var. borneensis
• Pandanus odoratissimus var. sarawakensis
• Pandanus odoratissimus var. triceps
• Marquartia leucacantha
• Keura odorifera
• Hasskarlia leucacantha

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Pandanus odorifer, is classified under the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it belongs to the order Pandanales and the family Pandanaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Pandanus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of locations across several key tropical regions. In West-Central Tropical Africa, its presence is noted within the Congo. Moving toward East Tropical Africa, it can be found in Tanzania, while also inhabiting Mozambique in South Tropical Africa. Its distribution extends to the Western Indian Ocean, specifically on the island of Aldabra. Finally, the species reaches the Arabian Peninsula, where it is located in Yemen.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Pandanus odorifer is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term presence within its ecological niche. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic organs well above the ground, typically through a woody, shrub-like or tree-like growth habit. This life form is further categorized under the phanerophyte classification, reflecting its structural strategy of protecting its buds during unfavorable conditions. Additionally, the species exhibits an evergreen deciduousness pattern, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year without undergoing a seasonal shedding of leaves, allowing for continuous metabolic activity.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pandanus odorifer is characterized by its robust growth form, functioning primarily as a woody tree. It exhibits a self-supporting habit, meaning it does not rely on other structures as a liana or vine, nor does it act as an obligatory or facultative climber. As a terrestrial plant, it is not classified as an epiphyte (such as a holoepiphyte, hemiepiphyte, or prim/sec hemiepiphyte) but rather grows directly in the ground. Furthermore, the species is an independent organism, showing no parasitic tendencies, and maintains a distinct woody structure throughout its development.

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Pandanus odorifer is characterized by a specialized metabolic framework adapted to its specific ecological niche, focusing on efficient nutrient cycling and water management. Regarding its structural water storage capacity, the plant exhibits no significant succulence, meaning it lacks the thickened, fleshy tissues typical of succulent species and instead relies on more traditional vascular transport and leaf morphology to manage hydration. In terms of nutrient acquisition, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer; it does not possess the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (such as rhizobia) required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, relying instead on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system. Its physiological processes are driven by standard photosynthetic pathways, utilizing its leaf structure to convert light energy into chemical energy while maintaining a balance between transpiration and gas exchange.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

Reproduction in Pandanus odorifer involves a complex biological process that culminates in the production of specialized fruits designed for effective seed distribution. The plant utilizes a multi-faceted dispersal strategy to ensure its offspring can colonize new territories. Its dispersal syndrome is characterized by being primarily anemochorous, utilizing wind currents to transport lighter elements, while also exhibiting traits of being anthropochorous and autochorous through human intervention and self-dispersal mechanisms. Additionally, the species demonstrates ecological versatility through endozoochorous and epizoochorous methods, where seeds are either ingested by animals and passed through their digestive tracts or adhere to the exterior of fauna. The reproductive cycle may also involve hydrochorous movement via water bodies and myrmecocorous interactions involving ants, ultimately categorized as an unspecialized and zoochorous system that leverages various biological and environmental vectors to facilitate widespread propagation.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Pandanus odorifer has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ceroptene, Epipinoresinol, Phytosterol, kobusin.

Ceroptene

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

Epipinoresinol

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

Phytosterol

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

kobusin

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics