Appearance
It is a small branched, palm-like dioecious tree with a flexuous trunk supported by brace roots. The tree can grow to a height of 4 meters. Leaves grow in clusters at the branch tips, with rosettes of sword-shaped, stiff and spiny bluish-green, fragrant leaves. Leaves are glaucous, 40–70 cm. long. In summer, the tree bears very fragrant flowers, used as perfume. In Yemen, they are predominantly found alongside flowing streams in the western escarpment foothills; Most common in high rainfall areas. The fragrant male flowers are wrapped in leaves and sold on roadsides and in markets. Only male plants seem to occur in Yemen. Some suggest that it was introduced into Yemen from India where its flowers are used chiefly to make perfume.Naming
In addition to screw-pine, other common English names for the tree include kewda, fragrant screw pine, umbrella tree and screw tree.In India, the tree goes by a variety of names, many deriving from the Sanskrit ''kētakī'' . In Arabic speaking countries, the tree is referred to as ''al-kādi'' . In Japan, the tree is called ''adan'' and grows on Okinawa.
Uses
An aromatic oil and fragrant distillate called ''keorra-ka-arak'' are extracted from the male flowers. They are almost exclusively used in the form of a watery distillate called ''kewra'' water. Flowers have a sweet, perfumed odor that has a pleasant quality similar to rose flowers, although ''kewra'' is considered more fruity. The distillate is quite diluted- it can be used by the teaspoon, often even by the tablespoon.References:
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