88 PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 



attempts in India to make this fiber a commercial success have 

 not succeeded. 



Ahroma fastuosa is a shrub or small tree. The leaves and 

 stems are covered with stiff, irritating hairs. The leaves are 

 alternate, heart-shaped, 10 to 30 centimeters in length, and v^ith 

 toothed margins. The flowers are yellow and about 5 centi- 

 meters in diameter. The fruits are thin-walled, five-angled 

 capsules. 



This species is widely distributed at low and medium altitudes 

 in the settled areas and brush lands of the PhiHppines. It is 

 sometimes cultivated. 



Genus COM M ERSONIA 



COMMERSONIA BARTRAMIA (L.) Merr. Kakaag. 



Local names: Anitap (Itneg) ; kakaag (Iloko). 



The crude bast strips examined by King 'Varied from light 

 ochraceous salmon to a warm buff.'' Rope made from this plant 

 is said to be used considerably for general purposes. King 

 found the dry rope to have a mean tensile strength of 392 kilos 

 per square centimeter. Wetting the rope decreased its strength 

 32 per cent. However, King says that the residents of Benguet 

 state that this rope is more durable during the rainy season than 

 any of the other bast ropes which are commonly used. 



Commersonia bartramia is a small tree. The leaves are alter- 

 nate, hairy, heart-shaped at the base, pointed at the tip, 12 to 18 

 centimeters long, and with toothed margins. The flowers are 

 small, white, and are borne on compound inflorescences. The 

 fruits are rounded capsules which are densely covered with 

 slender, soft, hairy processes. 



This species occurs at low altitudes throughout the Philippines. 



Genus HELICTERES 

 HELICTERES HIRSUTA Lour. ToNGTONGKfNG. 



Local names: Balihdgo, bulbuUn (Pampanga) ; buntot-usd (Rizal) ; 

 danglin-dso (Bisaya) ; danglin-kalahdu (Abra, Nueva Ecija) ; kakadh, 

 kakadg (Union, Abra, Pangasinan) ; kollokollot ti bad (Benguet) ; lailai- 

 ginan (Rizal) ; vialamayisanita (Ilocos Norte, Tagalog) ; malatakon 

 (Abra) ; pakin-bdkir (Iloko) ; sagingsagingan (Tagalog) ; sarnugdr d da- 

 dakkel (Ilocos Sur) ; talakau (Negrito in Pampanga) ; talosan (Tayabas) ; 

 tolosan (Iloko); tongtongking (Amburayan). 



The crude strips of this fiber are light buff, and harsh and stiff. 

 King found that the tensile strength of rope made from them 

 averaged 438 kilos per square centimeter. Immersion in water 

 for twenty-four hours decreased the strength about 10 per cent. 

 The rope appears to be durable during the rainy season. 



