330 PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 
to 22 centimeters in length. The fruits are red, oval in shape, 
and about 3 centimeters in length. This species is common and 
widely distributed in the Philippines. 
GNETUM sp. ; KALIAT. 
Local names: Kadiat (Itneg); kalidt (Iloko). 
This species is a small tree with thin, glossy, elongated, pointed 
leaves. Rope made from the bark had the greatest tensile 
strength of all the bast ropes tested by King. It was, more- 
over, exceptionally pliable. In both the dry and wet conditions 
this bast stood first as regards both tensile strength and break- 
ing length. The bast strips have a rich, brown color, are free 
from irregularities, and have a rather waxy appearance. 
Rope made from Gnetum is held in high esteem on account of 
iis great strength, pliability, and lightness, and is considered by 
the Igorots and Ilocanos to be superior to that made of any 
other local fiber. King found the rope to have a tensile strength 
of 773 kilos per square centimeter. Concerning its strength 
King says: 
Gnetum sp. rope is stronger than machine-laid maguey rope made of 
government grade Cebu No. 2 fiber and in tenacity approaches closely 
cordage made of the most superior grade of abaca fiber. When wetted 
for twenty-four hours this bast rope increases 31 per cent in strength 
and is actually stronger than machine-laid abaca rope made of “F”’ grade 
fiber. 
Several other species of Gnetwm are used in making ropes. 
Family TYPHACEAE 
Genus TYPHA 
TYPHA ANGUSTIFOLIA L. (Plate V). CaT-TAIL. 
Local names: Anibong (Bontok) ; balanggét (Tagalog) ; buhai-bihai (Ne- 
gros Occidental) ; lampakanai (Bisaya); tubol-tubél (Bikol, Bisaya). 
The stems and leaves of the cat-tail are used for tying pur- 
poses, while the entire or split culms are utilized for making 
coarse bags and baskets. The straw is well adapted for making 
slippers. The stems and leaves are occasionally twisted into 
coarse ropes which, however, have little tensile strength. The 
floss from the protruding heads is sometimes used for stuffing 
pillows. 
This species reaches a height of 2 meters. The leaves are 
long and from 10 to 12 millimeters wide. The spikes are 
cylindrical; the female ones when mature are brown, 12 to 20 
centimeters long, and up to 2 centimeters in diameter. This 
plant is locally very abundant in low, wet places and shallow, 
stagnant, fresh water. It is widely distributed in the Phil- 
ippines. 
