Pandanus tectorius

Description:

Hala or ScrewpinePandanaceae (Screwpine family)Indigenous to the Hawaiian IslandsThe fragrant bracts of the male hala flower (hnano).Habitwww.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/5188333570/in/photolist-...Flowerswww.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/11224847305/in/photolist...Male flowers, called hnano in Hawaiian, are surrounded by very fragrant bracts. The soft part of hnano were chewed by early Hawaiian mothers and given to infants and young children as a laxative. Adults also used it as a laxative.While hala was greatly used by early Hawaiians, It should be noted that the specific variety with no leaf spines shown here was not used.Polynesian Names for Female Tree: Ara (Cooks, Mangareva); Ara tai (Cooks); Ara taatai (Cooks); Balawa (Fiji); F (Niue, Tonga, Uvea); Faa (Southern Marquesas); Fala (Futuna, Samoa, Tokelau, Tuvalu); Fara Societies, Tuamotus); Fasa (Samoa); Haa (Northern Marquesas); Hala or Hala hua (Hawaii); Vadra (Fiji) Polynesian Names for Male Tree:Higano (Tokelau, Uvea); Hingano (Tonga); Sigano (Futuna, Samoa); Hinano (Marquesas, Societies); Hnano (Hawaii); Ingano (Cooks)EtymologyThe generic name is derived from the Amboinese term pandan, Latinized to produce Pandanus.The Latin specific epithet tectorius carries the meanings "of plasterer; of rooftops, growing on rooftops, of the tiles."nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Pandanus_tectorius