28 PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 



The chief use of this plant is in the production of the fiber 

 used in manufacturing sabutan hats. Hats made of sabutan 

 are strong and durable, and in texture more nearly resemble 

 the Panama hat than any other kind manufactured in the Phil- 

 ippines. The unbleached hats are a light green color, and the 

 chief objection to them is that they do not bleach readily. Good 

 sabutan hats, however, command high prices in the Philippines. 



Sleeping mats of excellent quality are made from sabutan 

 fibers either in natural or dyed shades. 



PAN DAN us SIMPLEX Merr. (Plate VII). Karagomoi. 



Local names: Kalagimai (Tayabas) ; karagomoi (Tayabas, Camarines, 

 Albay, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Lej^e, Cebu) ; panddn or panddn-totoo (La- 

 gnna) ; Luisiana pandan, Cavinti pandan, Majayjay pandan (from towns 

 in Laguna where it is much used) ; bangkodng (Laguna, Tayabas, hat trade 

 in Manila, mat trade in Camarines and Albay). 



This species is found in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Rizal, 

 Laguna, Tayabas, Camarines, Albay, Sorsogon, Leyte, Cebu, 

 and on the islands of Polillo and Catanduanes. It is usually 

 planted in the Banahao region, where it is of great economic 

 importance, and is frequently cultivated in Camarines. The 

 Karagomoi variety, of the Bikol provinces, has leaves 6 to 10 

 centimeters wide and up to 3.5 meters long; the variety cul- 

 tivated in the Banahao region, the ''Majayjay pandan," has 

 leaves up to 20 centimeters wide and 5 meters long.* 



The prepared strips of the leaves are very extensively used for 

 making coarse and fine mats, hats, bags, and telescope baskets. 

 They are also used extensively for making fancy articles such as 

 picture frames, wall pockets, hand bags, and fancy slippers. 



In preparing the fiber, the spiny margins and the midribs 

 of the leaves are removed and the leaves cut into strips of 

 desired width. The strips are then dried in the sun and allowed 

 to wilt. To make them pliable they are rolled under one end 

 of a heavy log. They are further dried in the sun and are then 

 ready for use. 



PAN DAN us TECTORIUS Soland. (Plates VII, VIII). COMMON OR Beach 



PANDAN. 



Local names: Baroi (Sorsogon); panddn (Pampanga, Tarlac, Rizal, 

 Batangas, Tayabas, Camarines, Albay, Mindoro, Iloilo, Antique, Oriental 

 Negros, Leyte, Cebu, Surigao, Davao, Zamboanga) ; pangddn (Abra, Pan- 

 gasinan, Camiguin Island) ; pangldn (Iloko and Sambali in Zambales) ; 

 sabutan (Rizal); nhango (Batanes Islands). 



This species is the most common and widely distributed pan- 

 dan in the Islands. It is abundant along the seashore and 



* The "pandan of Majayjay" is described by Muller and Robinson as 

 Pandanus utilissimus Elmer : this is a synonym of P. simplex. 



