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Screw Pine
Pandanus boninensis
γΏγ³γγ
An evergreen tall tree endemic to the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands. Named for its numerous aerial roots (stilt roots) extending from the trunk, resembling octopus legs. Leaves are long, rigid, and spirally arranged, and the plant produces pineapple-like aggregate fruits.
Identification Points
- βNumerous thick stilt roots (aerial roots) hang from trunk and branches
- βLeaves are long-linear with thick cuticle and spiny-serrate margins
- βFruit is a pineapple-like aggregate (syncarp)
Habitat
Coastal and rocky areas of the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands
Season
Year-round (evergreen)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Evergreen
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Parallel
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Ovary position
Superior
Plant sex
Dioecious
Phylogenetic PositionγΏγ³γγη§ β
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Monocots > Pandanales > Pandanaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (ca. 70 Ma onwards)
Evolution Notes
Pandanaceae is a monocot family. Stilt roots (aerial roots) stabilize the trunk on soft tropical soils. The spiral phyllotaxis is advantageous for maximizing light capture.
View on evolution timeline βSources & References
AI-generated, needs verification