Geologists looking for diamonds in the diamond-bearing kimberlite dikes (fissures) of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia have identified the presence of an unusual botanical indicator, Pandanus candelabrum, a type of screw palm. Pandanus candelabrum, with its stilt-like aerial roots and long strap-shaped spiny leaves, is the first plant to be described that has a marked affinity for kimberlite pipes. In fact it’s only found in kimberlite outcroppings. This could dramatically change the exploration dynamics for diamonds in West Africa, as geobotanical mapping and sampling is cost-effective in tough terrain.
I know you want to know what it looks like — just in case they turn up in your back yard!
