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not lobed. The flowers are grouped together to form in- 

 florescences which vary greatly in appearance and which 

 may or may not occur on the tips of branches. The fruit 

 may be dry or fleshy and may or may not break open. 



In all species, however, the leaves are arranged alternately 

 and modified leaves (stipules) are also present. The sepals 

 of the flowers are always 5 in number and more or less 

 united. The petals are either 5 in number or entirely 

 wanting. 



* AN ABO. 



(Abroma augusta.) 



Anabo (Abra, Batangas, Capiz, Mindoro, Nueva Ecija, Occidental 

 Negros, Pampanga, T.) ; ambong (T.) ; anafu (Gad. in Nueva 

 Vizcaya) ; anabong, labon, nabo (Vis.) (Bohol, Oriental Negros) ; 

 annabo (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Tarlac) ; bago (Sorsogon) ; bodo- 

 bodo (Ilocos Norte) ; devil's cotton (E.) ; nabu (Bohol, Cagayan) ; 

 pacalcal (Pampanga). 



This shrub is about 3 m. high or higher and grows wild 

 in valleys and on hillsides throughout the Philippines. On 

 the bark of the stem are many small spines and, when young, 

 also hairs. Fine, sharp, prickly hairs occur also on the 

 leaves and petioles. The lower surface of the leaf is lighter 

 in color than the upper and covered with fine hairs. These 

 adhere like prickles to the skin when the surface is rubbed. 



The fruit is a fair-sized capsule open on top, having five 

 hornlike extensions on the outer free surface; five very 

 much smaller projections mark the attachment of the seeds 

 on the inner. In the mature capsule, on the inside near 

 the seeds, are bristlelike hairs and on the outside the same 

 kind of hairs occur as on the leaves. 



PREPARATION. 



It is possible to separate the bast fibers at once from the 

 bark by hard pounding. Generally, however, the outside 

 part of the shrub is put in water for a period of three to 

 five days. The bast fibers may then be separated with com- 

 parative ease from the bark, washed, and dried in the sun. 



USES. 



The rope made from this bast is flexible, strong, and is 

 of good appearance. As anabo is a very hardy shrub, a 



