92 MINOR PRODUCTS OF PHILIPPINE FORESTS 



This species is distributed from Luzon to Mindanao and Pala- 

 wan. 



Family MUSACEAE 



Genus MUSA 

 MUSA spp. Wild banana. 



The leaves of a number of wild bananas are used extensively 

 for polishing floors, for lining pots in which rice is cooked, for 

 lining baskets and similar articles in which food is stored, and 

 for wrapping various articles sold in markets and shops. 



SPHAGNUM 

 Family SPHAGNACEAE 



Genus SPHAGNUM 



This moss, which is extensively used in other countries for 

 surgical dressings and for packing living plants, fish, eggs, etc., 

 is of very little commercial importance in the Philippines. It 

 occurs only at high altitudes, at and above elevations of 2,000 

 meters, and generally in inaccessible regions. 



The supply of this moss in the Philippines is limited, and it 

 would probably be cheaper to import the small quantity used 

 than to attempt to collect it locally. 



TANNINS 



The most important commercial sources of tannin in the Phil- 

 ippines are the mangrove swamps, which have been treated in a 

 separate section. The species which is locally used in greatest 

 quantities is Pithecolobium dulce (kamachile). According to 

 Gana, the mangrove swamps and Pithecolobium dulce yield the 

 only barks used by Philippine tanners. Gana investigated a 

 number of species and found a few which have commercial pos- 

 sibilities. These are mentioned in the following discussion. 



Family PINACEAE 



Genus PIN US 

 PINUS INSULARIS Endl. Saleng or Benguet PINE. 



A description and figure of this species and its local names 

 are given in the section on resins, gums, and oils. 



Gana * examined the bark of this species as a tanning ma- 

 terial and reported that it contained a very low percentage of 



* Gana, V. Q., Some Philippine tanbarks. Philippine Journal of Science, 

 Section A, Volume 11 (1916), page 262. 



