- Pandanus fascicularis
Taxobox
name = "Pandanus fascicularis"
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Liliopsida
ordo =Pandanales
familia =Pandanaceae
genus = "Pandanus "
species = "P. fascicularis"
binomial = "Pandanus fascicularis"
binomial_authority = Lam.Screw Pine ("Pandanus fascicularis", syn. "P. odoratissimus", nom. illeg.) is a species of "
Pandanus " native to southernAsia , from southernIndia east toTaiwan and theRyukyu Islands south ofJapan , and south toIndonesia . Common names include Kewra केवडा, Kaitha കൈത or Ketaki केतकी.It is a
shrub with fragrant flowers.The flower is mentioned in the
Brahma 's story as the cursed flower. It is also known as keora (keura or keori) or keya (kia).It is used as perfume. aromatic oil (kevda oil) and fragrant distillation (otto) called "keorra-ka-arak". These are stimulant and antispasmodic and are used in headache and rheumatism.The flowers are also used to flavour food.
Following are the local names in Indian LanguagesAssamese - KetekiBengali - KetakyGujarathi - KetakyHindi - Kevadaa; KeoraKannada Tale hoovu; KedigeKonkani - Bonnong; KegdiMalayalam - Kaitha; ThaazhaMahrathi - KevadaaOria - KiaPunjabi - KeoraSanskrit - KaethakeeTamil - ThazhaiTelegu - MogilTulu - Kaedai
External links
* [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?402974 Germplasm Resources Information Network: "Pandanus fascicularis"]
* [http://members.aol.com/parijata/kewda.html Kewda-Orissa's Fragrant Floral King by Christopher McMahon]
* [http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Pand_odo.html Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages: Pandanus]
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020401/agro.htm#1 Ketaki - a cursed but useful flower by H.C.Gera for The Tribune]
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