35 PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 



very young panicles, gathered before the flowering glumes have 

 developed. Better grades are made from TJvjsanolaena panicles. 



In some of the islands the stems are used in manufacturing 

 coarse hats. 



Phragmites vulgaris is a coarse, erect grass attaining a height 

 of at least 3 meters. The stems are cylindrical and hollov^. 

 It is locally very abundant in shallow swamps and along muddy 

 streams; and is often gregarious, occupying considerable areas 

 to the exclusion of other vegetation. It is widely distributed 

 in the Philippines at low and medium altitudes. 



Genus SACCHARUM 

 SACCHARUM OFFICINARUM L. SUGAR CANE. 



The flowering stalks of the sugar cane are sometimes used for 

 making picture frames. 



SACCHARUM SPONTANEUM L. Talahie. 



Local names: Buydng, tigbdo (Bisaya) ; sikdl (Isabela) ; sidda (Iloko) ; 

 taldhib (Tagalog, Bikol). 



From an economic standpoint this plant ranks very low. The 

 very young shoots are grazed by domestic animals, but the 

 mature plant is too hard and harsh for forage. In some regions 

 the culms are used for shafts of arrows, while they are very 

 frequently utilized for making temporary fences, and for wings 

 or runs to fish weirs. In some provinces they are used as 

 wattles for making house walls. The stalks, entire or split, 

 have been utilized by some schools in industrial work for making 

 brooms, hats, screens, picture frames, and wall pockets. The 

 panicles are occasionally utilized for stuflfing pillows. As sup- 

 erior material for all the above purposes is usually to be had 

 in the Philippines, most of the uses for this coarse grass here 

 indicated are apparently very limited and very local. 



A description of this plant is given in the bulletin on paper 

 pulp. 



Genus SPOROBOLUS 

 SPOROBOLUS ELONGATUS R. Br. Bakuit. 



Local names: Bakuit, hangkuit (Iloilo) ; sangsangitan (Bontoc). 



A fairly fine straw of medium length is obtained from the 

 flower stalks and utilized at times in Iloilo as a hat material. 



Sporobohis elongatiis is a grass with slender stems, numer- 

 ous, rather long and narrow leaves, and long narrow panicles. 

 It reaches a height of 1 meter, but is usually shorter. This 

 species is distributed from northern Luzon to southern Minda- 

 nao, but is most abundant in the Mountain Province. 



