Pandanus houlletii

Carrierre

Pandan hutan

Pandanaceae Edible: Fruit 15 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Description

An evergreen tree. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. The ripe fruit have a strong smell like an overripe pineapple.

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Edible Uses

Fruit. Soft and sweet with a flavour like pineapples. The cylindrical fruit is a syncarp made up of a number of individual drupes. Individual drupes are hard, woody wedges - each containing a few, slender seeds. Each wedge has a fleshy base imbued with a sweet-smelling, orange pulp that in many species has a delicious flavour. This pulp needs to be cooked in order to destroy a deleterious substance. Although no specific records have yet been seen for this species, most members of this genus also have more or less edible seeds and inner leaf bases. The seed often has a delicious nutty flavour when eaten raw or cooked, though it is fiddly to extract. Seeds contain 44 - 50% fat and 20 - 34% protein. Inner base of young leaves - raw.

Traditional Uses

The fruit is soft and sweet and flavoured like a pineapple.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant.

Where It Grows

Asia, Cuba, Indochina, Malaysia, SE Asia, Thailand, West Indies,

Cultivation

Species in this genus generally grow well in most moist, well-dained soils and a sunny position Branches do not have dormant buds and so will not resprout if cut back into the old wood. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruits and seed are required.

Propagation

Seed - best pre-soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing.

Other Uses

The leaves are made into mats. Although we have seen no other 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.

Notes

There are about 600 Pandanus species. They grow in the tropics.

Synonyms

Pandanus furcatus Balf. non Roxb.

Also Known As

Mengkuang hutan

References (6)

Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 2 (I-Z) p 1673, 1676
Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A., and Seberg, O., 2007, Flowering Plant Families of the World. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. p 388
Miguel, E., et al, 1989, A checklist of the cultivated plants of Cuba. Kulturpflanze 37. 1989, 211-357
Purseglove, J.W., 1972, Tropical Crops. Monocotyledons. Longmans p 512
PROSEA (Plant Resources of South East Asia) handbook, Volume 2, 1991, Edible fruits and nut. p 241

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