Why are Pandanus plants called screw pines?

Pandanus plants are commonly called screw pines because of the unique arrangement of their leaves. These long, narrow, swordlike leaves grow in tufts at the branch tips, spiraling around the stem in three or four close, twisted ranks. This growth pattern forms screwlike helices, which gives the plants their distinctive common name.1

While they are often referred to as "pines" due to their general appearance, they are actually tropical monocotyledon trees or shrubs belonging to the family Pandanaceae. They are characterized by slender, palmlike stems and often feature large, aerial prop roots that emerge from the trunk to provide support.231