Pandanus sechellarum
{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Pandanus sechellarum - Seychelles Botanical Garden 1a.jpg
|image_caption = Pandanus sechellarum growing in the Seychelles Botanical Gardens
|status = NT
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|genus = Pandanus
|species = sechellarum
|authority = Balf.f.
}}
Pandanus sechellarum ("Vakwa maron", also spelled "Vacoa marron") is a species of plant in the Pandan, or Screwpine Family (Pandanaceae). It is one of five species of Pandanus that are endemic to Seychelles.
Description
File:Pandanus sechellarum - Seychelles Botanical Garden 2.jpg
This large species (up to 15 meters in height) has extremely large and prominent stilt-roots, that grow individually and far apart, from high up on the trunk. They can be up to thirty-three feet (ten meters) in length,{{cite book | last= Wise | first= Rosemary | date= 1998 | title= A Fragile Eden | location= Princeton, N.J. | publisher= Princeton Univ. Press | page= plate 77 with caption | isbn= 0-691-04817-7 }} and sometimes "over twelve meters" (over 39 feet).{{ cite web | url= https://www.edelweisstours.co/flora-pflanzen.php | last= anonymous | title= Flora Seychellen - Grosste Coco de Mer. Heilpflanze & Ursprung |date= n.d. | access-date= September 9, 2015}}
\ exceeded in length only by some banyan (Ficus spp) roots.
Its medium-sized (30 cm), spherical fruit-body contains about 70 individual fruit segments, called pyrenes and hangs from the stem on a stalk.
Distribution and habitat
Pandanus sechellarum was formerly one of the most common species in the indigenous vegetation of the Seychelles, to which it is endemic.
Currently it is usually found on steep terrain, river valleys or in accessible mountain tops.
Other indigenous Pandanus of the Seychelles include Pandanus balfourii, Pandanus hornei and Pandanus multispicatus. The Madagascan species Pandanus utilis is introduced and is now also widespread.
References
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{{Taxonbar|from=Q5461393}}
Category:Endemic flora of Seychelles
Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Category:Plants described in 1877
Category:Taxa named by Isaac Bayley Balfour
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