NATURAL DYES OF THE PHILIPPINES 403 



Family OENOTHERACEAE 



Genus JUSSIAEA 

 JUSSIAEA LINIFOLIA Vahl. 



Local names: Barigaud, tohod-tohod (Camarines) ; pdsau-hdpai (Nueva 

 Ecija) ; silasila (Tagalog) ; takldng-kiirong (Bataan). 



The whole plant is used in making a black dye. 



Jussiaea linifoUa is an erect, branched, smooth annual, 20 to 

 60 centimeters in height, with green or purplish three or four- 

 angled or winged stems, and spreading three-angled branches. 

 The leaves are narrow and 4 to 10 centimeters in length. The 

 flowers occur singly in the axils of the leaves and have a slender 

 calyx tube about 8 millimeters in length. The capsule is green 

 or purplish, about 3 centimeters long and 1 to 2 millimeters 

 in diameter. 



This species is a native of tropical America, but is thoroughly 

 naturalized in the Philippines and distributed throughout the 

 Archipelago in open, wet places. 



Family EBENACEAE 



Brooks * has investigated several species of Ebenaceae used 

 by the Filipinos to give black shades. These are entirely dif- 

 ferent in character from the tannin-iron colors. He failed to 

 find any trace of tannin in extracts of the wood, while the ash 

 of the heartwood contained only the smallest trace of iron. 

 He says that the black coloring matter is deposited in the 

 heartwood in much the same way as resin. 



Family APOCYNACEAE 



Genus TABERNAEMONTANA 

 TABERNAEMONTANA PANDACAQUI Poir. Pandakaki. 



Local names: Agaghidin (Cagayan) ; agtimaloi (Bukidnon) ; alibutbiit 

 (Tarlac, Guimaras Island, Camarines, Masbate, Cuyo Island) ; atihutbut 

 (Masbate) ; bagangga (Davao) ; biisbusilas (Cagayan); kanipupot (Rizal) ; 

 kulibntbi'd (Pangasinan) ; kurlbo' bot (Ilocos Sur, Abra) ; pandakdki (Ma- 

 rinduque Island, Manila, Bataan, Zambales, Tayabas, Camarines. Cagayan, 

 Ilocos Sur, Bulacan, Surigao) ; jmndakdki-itim (Bataan) ; pandakdki-puti 

 (Camarines) ; pandakdsi (Mindoro) ; tigpiid (Negros Occidental) tungkdl 

 (Culion Island). 



The leaves of this plant are used as a bleaching agent. t 



* Brooks, B. T., The natural dyes and coloring matters of the Philip- 

 pines. Philippine Journal of Science, Volume 5 (1910), page 445. 



t Miller, H. H., Minier, J. F., Andes, U. S., Muller, T., and Brezina, A., 

 Philippine mats. Philippine Craftsman, Volume 1 (1912), page 159. 



