Pandanus rigidifolius on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
''Pandanus rigidifolius'' is a species of
A low, small, spreading, many-branched tree. It produces many stilt-like roots, along the trunk, but also along the length of the side branches.
It can be distinguished by its compact (often trifarious) rosettes of small, rigid, erect, red-spined, deep blue-green leaves. These are usually only 75 cm long and 6 cm wide, folded lengthwise (reduplicate), stiff, erect, and have an abrupt, obtuse leaf tip. The reddish spines are closely set along the margins of the leaves.
The small (7–8 cm) fruit head is held erect on a short peduncle, and it is enclosed in three-ranked (trifarious)
It was endemic to
plant
Plants are predominantly Photosynthesis, photosynthetic eukaryotes of the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all curr ...
in the family Pandanaceae
Pandanaceae is a family of flowering plants native to the tropics and subtropics of the Old World, from West Africa through the Pacific. It contains 982 known species in five genera, of which the type genus, ''Pandanus'', is the most important, w ...
, endemic to Mauritius
Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label=Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It incl ...
.
Description
A low, small, spreading, many-branched tree. It produces many stilt-like roots, along the trunk, but also along the length of the side branches.
It can be distinguished by its compact (often trifarious) rosettes of small, rigid, erect, red-spined, deep blue-green leaves. These are usually only 75 cm long and 6 cm wide, folded lengthwise (reduplicate), stiff, erect, and have an abrupt, obtuse leaf tip. The reddish spines are closely set along the margins of the leaves.
The small (7–8 cm) fruit head is held erect on a short peduncle, and it is enclosed in three-ranked (trifarious) bracts
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or o ...
. Each fruit head is packed with 200–220 small, unilocular drupes, with slightly convex tips.
In its appearance, it is most similar to the other dwarf Mauritian
Mauritians (singular Mauritian; french: Mauricien; Creole: ''Morisien'') are nationals or natives of the Republic of Mauritius and their descendants. Mauritius is a multi-ethnic society, with notable groups of people of South Asian (notably ...
species ''Pandanus microcarpus
''Pandanus microcarpus'' is a species of plant in the family Pandanaceae, endemic to Mauritius.
Description
This small (5-6m), slender, freely branching tree can be distinguished from its closest relatives by its drooping, dark yellow-green leav ...
'' as well as the Madagascan species ''Pandanus microcephalus
''Pandanus'' is a genus of monocots with some 750 accepted species. They are palm-like, dioecious trees and shrubs native to the Old World tropics and subtropics. The greatest number of species are found in Madagascar and Malaysia. Common names ...
''. Another Mauritian
Mauritians (singular Mauritian; french: Mauricien; Creole: ''Morisien'') are nationals or natives of the Republic of Mauritius and their descendants. Mauritius is a multi-ethnic society, with notable groups of people of South Asian (notably ...
species, ''Pandanus drupaceus
''Pandanus drupaceus'' is a species of plant in the family Pandanaceae, endemic to Mauritius.
Description
A low-lying, spreading, freely-branching tree. Decumbent branches can lie along the ground and root to form new trees. There are only a few ...
'', though a larger shrub or tree, also has rigid, incurved leaves.Vaughan, R.E. and Wiehe, P.O. 1953. ''Flore des Mascareignes, Genus Pandanus''. The Sugar Industry Research Institute, Mauritius, ORSTOM, Paris and RBG, Kew.
Distribution
It was endemic to Mauritius
Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label=Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It incl ...
, where it was formerly common in the damp wetlands of the highlands near Le Petrin and Les Mares.
References
rigidifolius Endemic flora of Mauritius {{Pandanales-stub