usually powerfully, and often sweetly scented, and were they more 

 abundant and easily procurable, a good perfume might be extracted 

 from them. There is no perianth but the small flowers consist of 

 leafy spathes, crowed on a calkin-like spadix. 



Pandani are easily propagated by cuttings from the sides of the 

 stem and grow usually with considerable rapidity. They can also 

 be easily raised from seed, when it is procurable, which is not 

 often the case as in so many cases the male plants are so scarce 

 that fruit is never seen. Pandanus parvus, a very common species 

 in Singapore woods. I have only seen a single male of and never 

 any fruits ripe. P. ornatus again very rarely produces male tiowers, 

 and I have seldom seen a ripe fruit. P. Kaida, on the other hand 

 fruits regularly, and produces abundance of seeds. Most of the 

 Pandans prefer damp low lying ground, and some like Pandanus 

 imtnersus are quite aquatic. This is a very conspicuous species in 

 Selangor and Perak, growing immersed in the water of lowland 

 streams and sending up its tall erect swordlike grey leaves. 



Pests. — The Pandans when planted out are liable to the attacks 

 of a very beautiful beetle, one of the chafers Agestrata orichalca L. 

 A very large oblong beetle about an inch and a-half long ot a 

 splendid metallic green. This insect may often be seen at certain 

 seasons of the year flying round pandan bushes, in the evenin &- 

 The eggs are laid in th? terminal shoots of the Pandan and the 

 grub burrows into the stem, making a large burrow. I he leave 

 of the shoot are gnawed and present a ragged appearance. 



Uses of Pandani.— The chief use of the Pandani lies in their stiff 

 leaves which are used for roofing, and making mats ' ba S s ' c '^" 

 cases, and other such purposes. Kajangs are made from tne ic 

 of Pandanus atrocarpus. Griff. The leaves which are of gre* 

 length and about 4 inches across, are dried and fastened 

 together with split rattan forming the thoroughly ^' ater P roO ; sO C0 u V s e ed ' 

 ing for carts, and other purposes Portions of leaves are also 

 for making hats. , 



Baskets and mats, as well as cigarette cases are made of ttj 

 leaves of P. fascicularis, a common seashore shrub which is ju 

 cultivated frequently for the purpose. An account of the ^n" 

 ture of Malacca baskets is published by Mrs. Bland in the Jou 

 of the Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. XLVI, 1906, page I. ^ 



Pandanus sp. probably one of the several species ki 

 P. laeuis is often'cultivated for its leaves which are 

 in colour and quite thornless. These leaves wtien u - jt 

 a slight odour, and are put into rice when boihng to fevo 

 They are also used in a kind of pot-pourri composed ° tnes which j 5 

 finely cut up, shavings of sandalwood, and rose ware , ^ - n 

 distributed at Malay weddings This plant I have ne 

 flower or fruit nor have I ever met a Malay who has. « Yr~ 

 to be a native of Java and is common in all native vui g ^ 



Ornamental species.— The Pandans are often cultivate 

 mental plants both in the tropics and in conservatories 



