DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES 89 



Helicteres hirsuta is a shrub with alternate, pointed, hairy 

 leaves, 10 to 15 centimeters in length, the bases of which are 

 obliquely heart-shaped and the margins toothed. The flowers 

 are pink or purplish, slender, and about 2 centimeters long. 

 The fruits are cylindrical, pointed, 3 to 4 centimeters long, and 

 covered with numerous hairy protuberances. 



This species occurs at low altitudes throughout the Philippines 

 and is locally very abundant. 



Genus KLEINHOVIA 



KLEINHOVIA HOSPITA L. Tan-AG. 



Local names: Apung-dpung (Basilan) ; hafe nga hunsung (Nueva Viz- 

 caya) ; hiknong (Union, Zambales) ; biludng (Negros) ; bi'nong (Nueva 

 Ecija, Abra, Pangasinan) ; bifaiidg (Agusan, Surigao, Basilan) ; hitnong 

 (Cagayan, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Nueva Vizcaya, Tarlac) ; 

 hitonog (Lanao) ; hutnong (Ilocos Norte) ; hamitandgo (Albay, Samar, 

 Leyte, Cebu, Iloilo, Antique, Capiz, Occ. and Or. Negros, Bohol) ; hiuiung 

 (Cagayan) ; malibdgo (Palawan) ; malobdgo, lapnis (Negros) ; marakdpas 

 (Ilocos Sur) ; jmlong-manok (Culion) ; pampdr, panampdt (Pampanga) ; 

 tadg, tang-dg (Rizal) ; tagndg (Zamboanga) ; tamandg (Cotabato, Davao) ; 

 taloktok (Ilocos Norte) ; tan'dg or tcm-dg (Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Bataan, 

 Tarlac, Rizal, Laguna, Tayabas, Camarines, Albay, Sorsogon, Capiz, Iloilo) ; 

 tandk (Tayabas). 



The bast fiber is widely used for tying bundles. It is also 

 made into rope which is used for tethering carabaos and horses, 

 and for making halters. King found it to have a tensile strength 

 of only 309 kilos per square centimeter. However, immersion 

 in water for twenty-four hours decreased the strength only 7 

 per cent. The rope is said to be durable during rainy weather. 



Kleinhovia hospita is a small or medium-sized tree with large, 

 alternate, heart-shaped leaves which have toothed margins. The 

 flowers are small, pink, and are borne in panicles terminating 

 the branches. The fruit is a thin-walled, inflated capsule about 

 2 centimeters long. The young leaves are eaten as greens. 



This species is found at low altitudes throughout the Philip- 

 pines and is locally very abundant. 



Genus MELOCHIA 



MELOCHIA UMBELLATA (Houtt) Stapf. Labayo. 



Local names: Anabiong (Rizal); anabo (Nueva Ecija); baliknong, 

 bunot-biinot , siapo (Mindoro) ; bignon (Pangasinan) ; biminga (Cagayan, 

 Negros Occidental) ; biyigdbing, lapnis (Laguna) ; labdyo (Laguna) ; malaa- 

 chuete (Bataan) . 



The bark of this tree is used for making string or rope. 

 Melochia umbellata is a small tree, and is one of the most 

 rapidly-growing species in the Archipelago. The leaves are 12 



