勒古子 le gu zi

Pandanus forceps Martelli.

Shrubs or small trees. Stems branched, 1-3 m tall; aerial roots absent. Leaves linear, ca. 1(-4) m × 3-5 cm, margin and midvein spiny, apex acuminate, with long flagelliform tip. Male inflorescences consisting of several spikes, each spike ca. 10 cm; spathes in lower part ca. 45 × 4.5 cm; stamens usually 10, few male flowers with more than 20 stamens; filaments adnate beneath, ca. 7 mm, umbraculate, free filaments ca. 1 mm; anthers narrowly ellipsoid, ca. 3 × 0.7 mm, apex with small cusp ca. 0.5 mm. Female inflorescences capitate, paniculate, ca. 4 × 1.7 cm; spathes numerous, 14-20 × 2-3 cm; carpels 2 or 3 connate in a bundle, 2- or 3-locular; ovule 1 per locule; stigma short, with 2 serrate branches. Syncarp ellipsoid, consisting of ca. 150 phalanges; phalanges obconic, ca. 3 × 1.7 cm, projected part 5-angled above; persistent stigmas 2, branched, serrulate. Fl. May-Jun.

Seasides, stream banks, sunny low-lying areas, forests. Guangdong, Hainan [Vietnam].

Stone (Fl. Cambodge, Laos & Vietnam 20: 40. 1983) considered Pandanus forceps to be a synonym of P. kaida. Stone (Ceylon J. Sci., Biol. Sci. 11(2): 119. 1975) noted that P. kaida currently is known only in cultivation. The plants sometimes are used for hedges or living fences, and the young shoots are edible.