Pandanus odoratissimus L.f.
arcuate subulate, flat appresed, ascending at 5
o
, white with red tipped; the raised midrib below with spines 1.5-3 mm long, 10-15 mm apart, subulate, curved,
ascending at 5
o
, wholly white or white with red tipped; on the subulate apex prickly on both sides with spines 0.4-1 mm long, 3-7 mm apart, arcuate, subulate,
ascending at 5
o
, wholly white or white with red tipped; the midrib below with similar spine, but with 3-4 mm apart; peduncle leafy bracted, 6.2-17 cm long, at
base 5 mm in diameter, at apex 7-8.5 mm diameter, 3-sided, glabrous; exterior bracts with the body about 38-48 cm long, 3.4-5 cm wide, long tapering to a
slender subulate apex; middle bracts 20-27 cm long, 2.5-4 cm wide, lanceolate, coriaceous, gradually tapering to a subulate apex; staminate inflorescence
terminal, pendent, 25-40.5 cm long; flowering part of spike 21.3-33 cm long, bearing 9-18 lateral racemes, these 4 5-8 cm long, 3-6 cm wide, narrowly elliptic-
elliptic, densely flowered; stamen 14-30 in raceme, the fused axis 7-15 mm long, free filament tips 1-2.5 mm long, anthers 1-2.8 mm long, bearing terminal
subulate connective prolongation 0.3-0.5 mm long; pistillate inflorescence pendulous; peduncle 11.5-33.5 cm long, at base 6 mm in diameter, at apex 18-19
mm in diameter, trigonous, white; exterior bracts 67-92 cm long, 3.5-4 cm wide, tapering gradually to a long subulate apex, yellowish green; middle bracts 37-59
cm long, 3-8.5 cm wide, lanceolate, apex acute-acuminate, white; syncarp terminal, single, subglobose-globose, 22-25 cm long, 19-25 cm wide; phalanges
73-88 in number, 4.2-5.5 cm long, the upper half 2.8-4 cm wide, 2.2-3.2 cm thick, obovate, red flashed with orange, the color becoming lighter upward, 4-5
angled, the sides generally convex, smooth, shining; upper ½ free, apex truncate – convex, lateral suture none, central apical sinuses very shallow, but the bottom
half V shaped; carpel 7-10, stigma sessile, 2.5-4 mm long, elliptic-lanceolate, darker brown; proximal phalanges of syncarp around the peduncle erect, the
shorter, and distal phalanges of syncarp the longer; endocarp median – slightly supramedian, 18-24 mm long, bony, the inner part dark mahogany colored, the
outer part pale; lateral walls 1-2 mm thick, inner surface shining; seeds 12-24 mm long, 4-10 mm in diameter, elliptic; upper mesocarp forming in each carpel apex a
cavity with white medullary membrane; basal mesocarp 12-17 mm, fibrous and fleshy.
DISTRIBUTION: West Java to East Java. HABITAT ECOLOGY:
Pandan odoratissimus is a typical beach species growing mainly in rocky sea coast, however some are found on lowland areas
below 150 m, flowering and fruiting in March to December. VERNACULAR NAME: Pudak, pudak duri, pandan laut, pandan kapur.
NOTES: Pandanus odoratissimus, a name derived from the fragrant pollen of male plants. Pandanus odoratissimus appears close to P. tectorius var. littoralis,
Morphologically these species are similar to each other by sharing coriaceous leaves, small prop roots abundant, bark armed with stout spine, tertiary cross vein
not visible, leaf apex gradually long tapering to subulate apex. Pandanus tectorius var. littoralis differs from P. odoratissimus by three character states, leaves glossy
on both sides, syncarp ellipsoid – subglobose and phalange apex flattened with cracks on central sinuses.
SPECIMENSEXAMINED: — WEST JAVA: Ujung Kulon-Taman Jaya, Rahayu 050,
and 051
JHUN; Bogor-Sudimara,
Heyne sn BO;
Sukabumi- Pelabuhanratu, Koorders 11814 and 11815 BO; Tasikmalaya-Kelapa genep,
Scheffer 310 BO; CENTRAL JAVA: Semarang, van Lecuwen sn BO; EAST JAVA: Banyuwangi-Grajagan, Rahayu 065 JHUN.