Pandanaceae FAMILY

Benstonea thwaitesii

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Benstonea thwaitesii is a densely-branched evergreen shrub growing 100 - 180cm tall. The plant is harvested from the wild for its edible fruits, and for its leaves which are used to weave mats etc and as a source of fibre. It is also planted as a fence along paddy fields and is grown as an ornamental in Indian gardens where it is valued especially for the fragrant flowers[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeE. Asia - India, Sri Lanka.

HabitatRainforests in moist low country; common, but usually planted as a fence for paddy fields[ 464 Title A Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon Publication Author Trimen H.; continued by Hooker J.D. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Dulau and Co; London. Year 1898 ISBN Description Very dated, but still a useful work. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].