The pandanus, Pandanus spiralis (family Pandanaceae), is a tree with prickly, spined leaves arranged spirally with a large fruit like a pineapple that turns red when ripe.

The large composite edible nuts contain several wedge-shaped woody segments which must be split open to extract the edible seeds. The nuts turn deep orange-red when ripe. They can go ripe any time, especially June to October. The nut part is called egng ujnyjan in Oykangand and Olkola, mayi thanka or mayi kunchan in Pakanh. For more information on plant food and the traditional subsistence of Aboriginal people in central Cape York Peninsula, see the Edible plant products page.