Pandanus spp.

(Pandanus, Screw pine)

Description

These species are commonly found in swamps, and along watercourses. The leaves are arranged spirally and appear twisted, the fruiting body resembles a large pineapple, the individual nuts separate from the core when ripe. Pandanus cookii ( syn. P. whitei) occurs on Townsville campus; Pandanus gemmifer can be found planted just outside the Crowther theatre in Cairns. There appear to be no characters unique to either P.gemmifer and P conicus. Current studies indicate that the two species may be combined in future and that there is a lot of morphological variation present.