PHILIPPINE PLANTS USED AS SOAP SUBSTI- 

 TUTES AND SCOURING MATERIALS 



By William H. Brown 



In the Philippines there are a number of plants which con- 

 tain saponin and are used as soap substitutes, especially for 

 cleansing the hair. The most important of these is gogo {En- 

 tada phaseoloides) which is an important article of commerce. 

 Other plants have very rough leaves which are used as material 

 for scouring cooking utensils, etc., and as substitutes for sand- 

 paper. 



Family MORACEAE 



Genus FICUS 

 FICUS ULMIFOLIA Lam. Isfs. 



A description and figure of this species and its local names 

 are given in the section on food plants. 



The leaves of this species are very hard and rough, and 

 are used for cleaning cooking utensils and scouring hardwood 

 floors, stairs, windowsills, etc. ; and also in place of sandpaper 

 in polishing wood, when sandpaper is not available. 



Genus STREBLUS 

 STREBLUS ASPER Lour. Kalios. 



Local names: Alasiis (Zambales, Mindoro) ; alasis (Surigao) ; ahldig 

 (Ilocos Sur, Union, Pangasinan, Zambales) ; ampds (Pampanga) ; bugtdl 

 (Negros Occidental) ; buntatai (Guimaras Island) ; kagasaka (Cagayan) ; 

 kalios (Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Bataan, Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Min- 

 doro) ; lasiis (Bataan); malakddios (Zambales). 



The leaves of Sti^ehlus asper are very hard and rough and 

 are utilized, like those of Fici/s ulmifolia, for cleaning cooking 

 utensils and as a substitute for sandpaper. 



Streblus asper is a tree reaching a height of about 15 meters 

 and a diameter of about 30 centimeters. The leaves are alter- 

 nate, 4 to 12 centimeters long, with a narrow base, pointed 

 tip, and toothed margin. The fruits are ovoid, pale yellow, 

 8 to 10 millimeters long, fleshy, and with seeds 5 to 6 milli- 

 meters long. 



This species is very common and widely distributed in the 

 Philippine Islands. 



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