Martellidendron is a genus of flowering plants in the family Pandanaceae, native to the Seychelles and Madagascar.[1] They resemble palms, but are not closely related to palms. The genus Martellidendron, was previously recognized as a section of the genus Pandanus in 1951 by Rodolfo Emilio Giuseppe Pichi-Sermolli,[2] Then as a subgenus in 1974.[3] It was finally separated out in 2003 on the basis of phylogenetic studies that used chloroplast DNA sequence data.[1]
The genus name of Martellidendron is in honour of Ugolino Martelli (1860–1934), who was an Italian botanist, biologist, and mycologist,[4] plus dendron the Greek word for "tree".
The genus was circumscribed by Martin Wilhelm Callmander and Philippe Chassot in Taxon vol.52 (Issue 4) on page 755-762 in 2003.
Martellidendron plants are dioecious, that is, the male and female flowers are on separate plants. The male flowers have many stamens (as many as 100[1]), and grow in an inflorescence that consists of spikes surrounded by bracts.[1] As the female flowers mature, they merge into an oblong or spherical multiple fruit.[1] An individual fruit is a drupe with two chambers.[1]
Martellidendron comprises six species;[1] [5]