Pandanus kirkii
Pandanus kirkii is an evergreen tree growing up to 15 metres tall with stilt roots clustered around the base.
It has a few blunt knobs on the bole, and sharp spines on the stilt-roots.
The leaves are harvested from the wild for local use in thatching etc. It is quite likely that the fruit and seed are edible.
The plant is also grown as an ornamental.
Pandanus kirkii is widespread and fairly to very common in places, it is under no major threat.
The plant is classified as "Least Concern" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2009).
Pandanus tectorius
Pandanus tectorius is a very variable species that has at times been divided into a large number of closely related species.
It is a small, often multi-stemmed, evergreen tree with conspicuous prop roots and prickly stems.
It usually grows around 3 - 7 metres tall, occasionally to 14 metres.
Sword-like leaves that can be 1 metre long grow in clusters at the top of the tree and ends of branches.
A multipurpose plant, it is very important in the economy of local people where the fruit is often a staple food.
Various parts of the plant are edible; it also supplies a wide range of materials and has various medicinal applications.
It is commonly harvested from the wild and is also often cultivated - a wide range of cultivated forms have been developed.
Products from the plant are often traded in local markets and beyond.
The plant is also often grown as an ornamental in many areas of the tropics.
Pandanus tectorius is widespread in Southeast Asia and island nations of the Pacific Ocean.
It is present on many atolls where it is an important multipurpose tree.
The species is widespread and no major threats are recorded.
The plant is classified as "Least Concern" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2013).
Passiflora edulis
Passiflora edulis is a vigorous, evergreen climbing shrub with stout stems,
growing from 2 to 9 metres or more in length. It climbs by means of coiling tendrils.
It is widely cultivated for its edible fruits and is popular in tropical and subtropical regions.
Pavetta lanceolata
Pavetta lanceolata is an evergreen shrub or a tree that can grow from 1 - 7 metres tall. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its scented floral display and fruits.
Pavetta zeyheri
Pavetta zeyheri is an evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow up to 4 metres tall.
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Pemphis acidula
Pemphis acidula is an evergreen shrub or densely branching small tree usually growing from 0.6 - 8 metres tall, occasionally up to 11 metres.
The bole is usually gnarled and much-branched.
Occasionally the plant is a dwarf creeping shrublet only 15 cm high.
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of timber. The wood is potentially of very good quality, but because of its small size and the poor form of the bole, as well as its limited supply, the wood is only used on a small and local scale.
The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental - there is a significant trade in seeds and live plants, especially in Asia, for growing it as a bonsai.
This is a common species in certain areas, and it is widespread. In the Pacific Islands, the population is considered stable. However, this species has experienced population declines in some regions due to habitat loss and the collection for use in the bonsai trade. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013).
Persea americana
Avocado is a large, spreading evergreen tree with an irregular, dense crown.
It can vary widely in height depending on variety, typically 8 - 10 metres when grafted,
and up to 20 metres when grown on its own roots.
The fruit is widely appreciated worldwide, valued for its oil and medicinal applications.
It is extensively cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions.
Phoenix dactylifera
Phoenix dactylifera is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree growing 15 - 40 metres tall.
The unbranched stem is topped by a terminal crown of 100 - 120 leaves, each 4 - 7 metres long.
It is one of the longest cultivated plants, dating back at least 5,000 years.
Piper nigrum
Piper nigrum is a climbing shrub producing a cluster of woody stems up to 10 metres tall, though more commonly 3 - 4 metres in cultivation. The stems attach themselves to other vegetation by means of adventitious roots.
Black pepper has been used as a spice and medicine for thousands of years. It is widely cultivated in tropical areas for its seed, which is the source of black, white and green peppercorns, commonly used as a hot flavouring in foods. The seeds are also much used in traditional medicine, particularly for treating digestive ailments. The plant is usually grown as a secondary crop in the shade of a taller crop.
