Chapter III.— PANDANS. 



Pandans/ or screw pines, are true tropical shrubs or trees. 

 In distribution, however, they extend to the subtropics. 

 They are called screw pines because the leaves of the plant 

 are similar to those of the pineapple and arise from the 

 stem in corkscrew fashion. The fruit also resembles that 

 of the pineapple. Even the finest leaves of pandan can 

 be distinguished from pineapple leaves, as in the former 

 a row of more or less prominent spines is always present 

 along the midvein. In texture, the coarsest pandan leaves 

 never attain the thickness of maguey leaves, and the pres- 

 ence of a middle row of spines in the pandan leaves makes 

 the distinction between them very evident. 



Pandans occur along sandy beaches, in rather moist local- 

 ities, on the sides of the mountains near fresh-water lakes 

 and swamps. All develop more or less prominent air or 

 prop roots above the ground. The fruits are multiple or 

 composite. 



KARAGUMOY. 



(Pandanus simplex.) 



Karagumoy (B.) (Albay, Camarines, Cebu, Leyte, Sorsogon, Ta- 

 yabas) . 



The pandan karagumoy is of considerable economic im- 

 portance in the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon. The leaves are 

 of the same general shape as those of other pandans and 

 from 2 to 3.5 m. long and 6 to 10 cm. wide. They are 

 thick and coarse, provided with sharp spines, and greenish- 

 gray in color when dried. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



This pandan is usually found near abaca plantations. 



' See The Philippine Craftsman, Vol, I, No. 4. 



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