90 MINOR PRODUCTS OF PHILIPPINE FORESTS. 



INK 



Family EUPHORBIACEAE 



Genus PHYLLANTHUS 



PHYLLANTHUS RETICULATUS Poir. Matang Buyud. 



Local names: Baghagutot (Camiguin Island, Union); bubabot (Abra) ; 

 7natdng-huyiid (Camarines) ; pagbaotot (Ilocos Norte) ; tinatindan (Ma- 

 nila) ; tologtolog (Laguna, Negros). 



Ink is prepared from the ripe fruits of this species. 



Phyllanthus 7'eticulatus is a shrub 1.5 to 5 meters in height. 

 The leaves are alternate and occur on the stems in two rows. 

 They are 1.5 to 4 centimeters long, rather pale beneath, and have 

 short petioles. The flowers grow singly or in clusters of a few 

 in the axils of the leaves. They are green, tinged with purple, 

 and 2 to 3 millimeters in length. The fruit is rounded and 

 somewhat flattened, soft, fleshy, smooth, 5 to 12 millimeters in 

 diameter, and is black when mature. 



Phyllanthus reticulatus is very common and widely distributed 

 in open places and thickets from northern Luzon to southern 

 Mindanao. 



LYE 



Family ACANTHACEAE 



Genus ACANTHUS 

 ACANTHUS ILICIFOLIUS L. DiLIUARIU. 



A description of this plant and its local names are given in 

 the section on mangrove swamps. 



According to Tavera this plant is used in the soap-making in- 

 dustry, lye being prepared from the ash. 



PAPER SUBSTITUTES 

 Family ARACEAE 



Genus HOMALOM ENA 

 HOMALOMENA PH ILI PPI N ENSIS Engl. Tahi'g. 



Local names: Alupayi (Polillo) ; salet (Pangasinan) ; salet nga nalabaga 

 (La Union); tahig (Camarines). 



The large leaves of this species are used extensively in Cam- 

 arines for wrapping articles of food. 



Homalomena philippinensis is an herb reaching a height of 

 about 1 meter. The leaves grow in a cluster from the ground 

 and are large and somewhat heart-shaped. The "flowers" are 

 green or whitish and about 6 centimeters in length. 



