76 PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 



Genus GREWIA 

 GREWIA ACUMINATA Juss. Amboi-UAN. 



Local names: AIM gat, alinau (Union) ; alagosi (Negros) ; bagun, halagan 

 (Palawan); balongo dilang-dhas (Zamboanga) ; amhoi-ucin (Union). 



Bast fibers are extracted from the bark of this tree and made 

 into ropes and strings. 



Greicia acuminata is a tree reaching a height of about 10 

 meters and a diameter of about 15 centimeters. The leaves are 

 alternate, somewhat hairy, pointed at the apex, rounded at the 

 base, with toothed margins, and 8 to 15 centimeters long. The 

 flowers have whitish petals and prominent yellow stamens, and 

 are borne on compound inflorescences. The fruit is green, about 

 2 centimeters in diameter, frequently somewhat four-lobed, four- 

 seeded, and very hairy. 



This species is distributed from La Union Province in Luzon 

 to southern Mindanao. 



GREWIA BILAMELLATA Gagnep. Benglareng. 



Local names: Benglareng (Iloko, Itneg) ; dongrareng (Iloko) ; durareng 

 (Abra). 



The bark is used for making a rope of slight strength. King 

 found the tensile strength to be 320 kilos per square centimeter ; 

 wetting decreasing it 44 per cent. The rope is said to be durable 

 during the dry season, but to deteriorate rapidly during wet 

 weather. 



GREWIA ERIOCARPA Juss. (G. negrosensh) . Bariu-an. 



Local names: Anildu (Cebu) ; balibdgo, kanas-kands (Batangas) ; bali- 



liuaii (Zambales) ; balitnong (Ilocos Norte, Capiz) ; baria-an (Union) ; 



bariu-dn (Iloko, Itneg, Abra, Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija) ; baruan 



(Lepanto) ; danli (Tayabas); dirdn (Union); durdn (Pangasinan); ked- 

 deng (Ilocos Sur, Abra, Union) ; lapi, lapni, lapnit (Cagayan) ; tnasapldk 



(Pampanga). 



A rope of average strength is made from the bark of this tree. 

 The fiber is extracted from the bark as soon as it is removed from 

 the tree. The rope is used for hauling, tying cattle, and binding 

 rice bundles. In Abra the fiber is used to some extent in making 

 hat braids. King found rope made from the bast to have a 

 tensile strength of 394 kilos per square centimeter. Wetting 

 weakened it about 3 per cent. 



Grewia eriocarpa is a shrub or small tree. The leaves are 

 alternate, densely hairy, pointed at the tip, oblique at the base, 

 from 5 to 15 centimeters in length, and with the lower surface 

 white or nearly so. The flowers are small and yellow. The 

 fruit is small, round, bluish, and edible. 



