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PAIiMA BRAVA. 



{Livistona rotundifolia.) 



Palma brava (Sp., F.), (Pangasinan) ; abiang (Pangasinan) ; anaao, 

 labig (II.) ; anahao (Albay, (T.) Laguna, Tayabas) ; anan, 

 ballang (Cagayan) ; anao (Iban.) ; bagsang (Samar) ; bahi 

 (Vis.) ; palmeto (E.). 



The palm grows to a height of 15 to 20 m. The leaves 

 are crowded together at the apex of the trunk. They are 

 orbicular and comparatively large and consist of segments 

 separated and pointed at the circumference. The petioles 

 that support them are long and armed on the sides with 

 hard sharp spines. 



USES. 



Wood. — Aside from a rather restricted use for furniture, 

 the wood of this palm is utilized by wild tribes for bows 

 and for carrying poles in the cities. 



Leaves. — The leaves of this and related species are used 

 in foreign countries for palm fans. In the Philippines they 

 are made into salakots (round native unblocked hats) and 

 into native raincoats. The segments are often separated 

 and used the same as nipa thatch. The petioles of this 

 palm have not yet been thoroughly tried out for industrial 

 purposes. 



NIPA PALM. 



(Nipa fructicans.) 



Nipa (E., F.) (Antique, Cebu, Pampanga) ; sasa (T.) (Mindoro, 

 Pampanga) ; lasa (T.) ; saga (Zambales) ; tata (Cagayan). 



It is interesting to note the entire absence of a trunk in 

 this palm and the presence of large leaves 5 to 10 m. long, 

 supported on stout petioles. The male inflorescence is 

 brown, erect, and up to 1 m. in height. The fruit is in 

 the form of a large ball which breaks apart when ripe, 

 liberating the seeds that float about over the water and 

 finally settle in the mud and start to grow. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Nipa palms occur throughout the Philippines along tidal 

 streams and especially in swamps along the deltas of rivers. 

 They are also found in India and from Malaya to Australia. 



