Pandanus hornei

Pandanus hornei ("Vakwa Parasol") is a species of plant in the family Pandanaceae, one of several Pandanus species that are endemic to the Seychelles.

Pandanus hornei
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Pandanales
Family: Pandanaceae
Genus: Pandanus
Species:
P. hornei
Binomial name
Pandanus hornei

Description

This species is a tall (15 meters), erect tree. It has a single, tall, straight trunk, with a spreading, parasol-like canopy only near the top. Its branches usually divide into groups of three.

Its stilt-roots are characteristically large but very closely packed.

  • Rosette detail
  • The close-packed stilt-roots of two specimens

Distribution and habitat

Pandanus hornei is endemic to the Seychelles, and was formerly common on all of the granitic islands. In valleys and on wetter slopes it was a dominant part of the original forests. It is currently threatened by habitat loss and invasive alien species such as Paraserianthes falcataria.

References
  1. Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles 1998. Pandanus hornei. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 August 2007.


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