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Natural Qualities:
An extract distilled from pandanus flowers and used to
flavor meats, drinks, and desserts in India and Southeast Asia.
Pandanus vary in size from small shrubs less than 1 m tall,
up to medium-sized trees 20 m tall, typically with a broad
canopy and moderate growth rate. The trunk is stout,
wide-branching, and ringed with many leaf scars. They commonly
have many thick prop roots near the base, which provide support
as the tree grows top-heavy with leaves, fruit, and branches.
The leaves are strap-shaped, varying between species from 30 cm
up to 2 m or more long, and from 1.5 cm up to 10 cm broad.
They are dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on
different plants. The flowers of the male tree are 2-3 cm long
and fragrant, surrounded by narrow, white bracts. The female
tree produces flowers with round fruits that are also
bract-surrounded. The fruits are globose, 10 to 20 cm in
diameter, and have many prism-like sections, resembling the
fruit of the pineapple. Typically, the fruit changes from green
to bright orange or red as it matures. "The kewda(Pandanus
odoratissimus) It has a very agreeable perfume. Musk has
the defect of being dry; this may be called moist musk-a very
agreeable perfume. In amongst the inner leaves grown things like
what belongs to a middle of a flower and from these things comes
the excellent perfume" The tree/shrub can reach a height of 18
feet. The densely branched plant is supported by aerial roots
forming a thick impenetrable jungle. The long leaves possess
prickly spines along the edges and mid-ribs making the plant
tough to handle for those not use to their peculiar nature. The
male flower "spikes"(a better technical word is infloresence)
are 10-20 inches long. Along the central stalk of spike one can
fine many true flowers each encased in a fragrant cream-coloredspathe;
a spathe being a leaflike structure enclosing a flower. A fully
mature Kewda tree
produces about 30-40 flower spikes each year weighing 5-6 each
ounces each!!!!
Long lasting, alcohol free perfumes
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