TOBACCO SUBSTITUTES 95 



per cent of tannin and that it gave a satisfactory leather sim- 

 ilar to pine-tanned leather in color, texture and grain. 



This species is fairly abundant. The trees are, however, 

 widely scattered, and the collection of bark from those felled 

 for lumber would be difficult and expensive. 



Family MYRSINACEAE 



Genus ARDISIA 

 ARDISIA SERRATA (Cav.) Pers. 



Local names: Dapui (Nueva Vizcaya) ; labat, ruknikso (Cagayan) ; 

 malaputat, panabon (Pampanga). 



It has been found by the St. Louis College at Baguio that 

 this species furnishes good tanbark. 



Ardisia serrata is a tree reaching a height of about 10 meters 

 and a diameter of about 20 centimeters or more. The leaves 

 are opposite, smooth, 10 to 22 centimeters long, 4 to 8 centi- 

 meters wide, pointed at both ends, and with rather small, pointed 

 teeth along the margins. The flowers are fairly small, pinkish, 

 and borne in considerable numbers on compound inflorescences. 

 The fruits are round, about a centimeter in diameter, and con- 

 tain a single round seed. When young the fruits are green, 

 but as they ripen they turn red and finally black. 



This species is distributed from northern Luzon to Mindanao 

 and is apparently very common. 



TOBACCO SUBSTITUTES 



Family SAXIFRAGACEAE 



Genus ASTILBE 

 ASTILBE PHILIPPINENSIS Henry. KauaX. 



Local names: Kauan (Benguet) ; tugtngi (Bontoc). 



This species is used by the Igorots for smoking. They some- 

 times mix with it a little tobacco. 



Astilbe phiUppineusis is a hairy herb, 1 to 2 meters in 

 height. The leaves are compound, with leaflets which are 

 pointed at the tip, usually oblique at the base, and prominently 

 toothed. The flowers are small and white, but are borne on 

 large, conspicuous inflorescences. 



This species has been reported only from the Mountain Prov- 

 ince. 



