''Pandanus spiralis'' is native to northern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It is commonly called common screwpine, iidool, pandanus palm, screw pine, screw palm or spring pandanus. It is neither a true palm, nor a

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family (biology), family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic ...

Distribution

''Pandanus spiralis'' occurs in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Northern NSW, the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Au ...

and the extreme north of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to ...

. The plant is most commonly found growing along watercourses or coastal fringes and dune systems.

Description

''Pandanus spiralis'' is a shrub or small tree up to 10 metres in height. It has long, spiny leaves organised in a spiral arrangement. The plant bears a large,

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centurie ...

-like cluster of fruit that turn orange-red when ripe. Wildlife including

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

s take advantage of the spiny leaves by living in the tree for protection. They also favor its fruit.

Uses

The leaves of ''P. spiralis'' can be used to weave neckbands and armbands. The fibre of the leaves can be used as string for dillybags. Other uses include

basket A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehai ...

s, mats, and shelters. In addition, mashed leaves can be used to cure headaches when tied around the head. The Burarra people use the plant to make

fish trap A fish trap is a trap used for fishing. Fish traps include fishing weirs, lobster traps, and some fishing nets such as fyke nets. Traps are culturally almost universal and seem to have been independently invented many times. There are two main ...

s. The fruit's seeds can also be ground to make flour.

Gallery

Image:Pandanus spiralis fruit.jpg, Fallen fruit of ''Pandanus spiralis'' Image:Pandanus spiralis on the Coast.jpg, ''Pandanus spiralis'' growing on a Coastal cliff

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q291468 spiralis Flora of Queensland Flora of the Northern Territory Angiosperms of Western Australia Monocots of Australia Drought-tolerant trees Trees of Australia