24 PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 



Family PANDANACEAE 



Genus PAN DAN US 

 PAN DAN US spp. The Pandans. 



The pandans, or screw-pines, are characteristically tropical 

 trees or shrubs, although they may be found in sub-tropical 

 countries. In the Philippines there are over forty known 

 species. A few are generally distributed in the various islands 

 and are likewise widely distributed in the Indo-Malayan region. 

 Most of the species are, however, of decidedly local occurrence. 

 The Philippine species vary in size from small shrubs less than 

 a meter high to trees 15 or more meters in height, and are always 

 erect and never climbing. They are characterized by a peculiar 

 spiral arrangement of the elongated, spiny leaves. The common 

 English name, screw-pine, refers to the spiral arrangement of 

 the leaves and the pineapple-like fruits of the more common 

 and widely distributed species. The leaves can be readily dis- 

 tinguished from those of the pineapple or maguey by the presence 

 of a middle row of spines in the pandan leaves. The leaves are 

 never thick like those of maguey. Most of the Philippine species 

 have prominent prop roots, and the trunks almost invariably bear 

 small, short, and scattered spines. Pandans occur in such 

 widely separated habitats as along sandy beaches and in virgin 

 forests. 



The fresh wood of the pandan is hard; that of some species 

 is durable. The larger stems are used as temporary posts. 

 Pandans are moreover frequently cultivated for ornamental 

 purposes. Their chief value, however, lies in the leaves, which 

 are used for making coarse and fine baskets, bags, coarse and 

 fine hats, mats, etc. 



All of the species having long leaves are potential sources of 

 strips that may be used in weaving baskets, mats, and other 

 articles, but there is a great deal of difl^erence in the texture 

 of prepared strips, due to the difference in the thickness and 

 other characteristics of the leaves. Some forms have been found 

 by the Filipinos to be superior for special purposes and thus only 

 a few of the numerous Philippine species are at present utilized. 



PANDANUS COPELANDII Merr. Bariu. 



Local names: Alasds (Tayabas) ; baleau (Occidental Negros) ; baled, 

 balewe, baliu (Capiz, Romblon, Bohol, Surig-ao) ; baliku (Surigao) ; baloi, 

 baroi (Agusan, Surigao) ; bareu (Samar) ; bariu, bareu, buruiii (Albay, 

 Sorsogon) ; lagutlut (Laguna) ; pandan (Cagayan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija) ; 

 pangddn (Benguet, Pangasinan) ; pataga (Ibanag, Apayao subprovince) ; 

 sere (Cagayan). 



This species is widely distributed at low and medium altitudes 

 from northern Luzon to southern Mindanao. It reaches a height 



