Fragrant screw-pine

Description

Pandanus odorifer is an aromatic monocot species of plant in the family Pandanaceae, native to Polynesia, Australia, South Asia (Andaman Islands), and the Philippines, and is also found wild in southern India and Burma. It is commonly known as fragrant screw-pine. t is a small branched, palm-like dioecious tree with a flexuous trunk supported by brace roots. The tree can grow to a height of 4 meters. Leaves grow in clusters at the branch tips, with rosettes of sword-shaped, stiff (leather-like) and spiny bluish-green, fragrant leaves. Leaves are glaucous, 40–70 cm. long. In summer, the tree bears very fragrant flowers, used as perfume. In Yemen, they are predominantly found alongside flowing streams in the western escarpment foothills; Most common in high rainfall areas.The fragrant male flowers are wrapped in leaves and sold on roadsides and in markets. Only male plants seem to occur in Yemen. Some suggest that it was introduced into Yemen from India where its flowers are used chiefly to make perfume. In addition to screw-pine, other common English names for the tree include kewda, fragrant screwpine, umbrella tree and screw tree. P. odorifer grows widely at the St. Martin's Island of Bangladesh, although much have been destroyed by mass tourism initiative. The tree is propagated vegetatively, by the offshoots of young plants that grow around the base of the trunk, but may also be increased by seed. If by the former method, the offshoots should be cut off and set in sand, at a temperature of 65° to 70°F. The cuttings root slowly, and the plants for a time make very slow growth. The general cultural treatment is that of palms. Trees require an abundance of water in summer. According to Ibn al-'Awwam's 12th-century treatise on agriculture, the kadi (Pandanus odorifer) is cultivated in a manner similar to that of the Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum). An aromatic oil called kewra and a fragrant distillate called keorra-ka-arak are extracted from the male flowers. They are almost exclusively used in the form of a watery distillate called kewra water. Its flowers have a sweet, perfumed odor that has a pleasant quality similar to rose flowers, although kewra is considered more fruity. The watered-down distillate is quite diluted; it can be used by the tablespoon, often even by the teaspoon.