34 PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 



mum angustifoUum is widely distributed in northern Luzon, 

 growing on open slopes, but it is not known from other parts of 

 the Philippines. 



Genus MISCANTHUS 

 MISCANTHUS SINENSIS Anders, BiGAO. 



Local names: Biau (Batanes Islands) ; bigdo, bigdho, gdho, gisa (Bikol) ; 

 hi-idu (Benguet) ; rihio (Igorot) ; talnhib (Zambales). 



This coarse grass is used for thatching houses. The stems 

 are used like wattles for making side walls of houses and some- 

 times even for covering the floors. In Sorsogon, splints made 

 from the stems are used in making screens and window shades. 

 The stems are sometimes employed for making shafts of arrows. 



Miscanthus sinensis is a coarse, erect, gregarious grass 1 to 3 

 meters in height. It occurs in abundance at medium and high 

 altitudes, especially in the Mountain Province of Luzon. When 

 repeated fires have occurred this grass frequently occupies an 

 area to the almost entire exclusion of other vegetation, just as 

 Imperata exaltata (kogon) and Saccharum spontaneum (tala- 

 hib) do at lower elevations. 



Genus ORYZA 

 ORYZA SATIVA L. RiCE. 



Rice straw is used in Ilocano districts for making hats for 

 home use, and in schools in Ilocos Norte for the upper soles of 

 slippers. Sometimes rice straws are tied into bundles and are 

 used as brooms for rough housework. 



Genus PHRAGMITES 

 PH RAG MITES KARKA (Retz) Trin. LuPI. 



Local names: Lupi (Camarines) ; sabunog (Negros Occidental); tajiu- 

 bong (Bontoe Subprovince) . 



This species is larger and rarer than Phragmites vulgaris and 

 apparently is used for the same purposes. 



PHRAGMITES VULGARIS Trin. (Plates X, XI). Tambo. 



Local names: Bagang, tabunak, tangbo (Bisaya) ; luj)i (Bikol) ; tambo 

 (Tagalog, Bisaya, Bikol) ; tagisi (Ibanag) ; taynbu (Bulacan, Rizal, Manila 

 vicinity, Batangas) ; tanobong (Pangasinan) . 



The chief use of this grass appears to be in the manufacture 

 of a peculiar type of dustbroom used for sweeping highly 

 polished floors. The panicles arranged in a fan-like manner 

 form the broom, while the culms tightly bound to a central 

 strengthening piece of bamboo form the handle. These brooms 

 are of great utility and are extensively used in the Philippines. 

 The best grade of Phragmites broom is manufactured from the 



