346 PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 
SPOROBOLUS INDICUS R. Br. 
The tough culms of this grass are used in Panay for the 
manufacture of hats. 
Sporobolus indicus is usually a rather densely tufted, peren- 
nial, slender, wiry grass with erect, branched stems, 1 meter or 
less in height. The leaves are 10 to 20 centimeters long, and 
flat; when dry, rolled up lengthwise. The panicles are slender, 
erect or somewhat nodding, and 10 to 35 centimeters in length. 
This species is widely distributed in the Philippines in waste 
places, along roadsides, etc. 
Genus THYSANOLAENA 
THYSANOLAENA MAXIMA Kuntze. (Plate XII).  LASA or TIGER GRASS. 
Local names: Bugubi, bugibui (Pampanga); buibui (loko, Bontoc) ; 
gatbo (Camarines) ; ldsa (Tagalog) ; tagadew (Bontoc) ; tagisa (Misamis) ; 
tambu (Bulacan, Rizal, Mindoro). 
In the Philippines a very characteristic, light dust broom is 
made of the panicles of several of the coarser grasses, notably 
Thysanolaena and Phragmites. These brooms are extensively 
used for sweeping the highly polished hardwood floors so 
characteristic of the better houses in the Philippines. Thysa- 
nolaena panicles make the best grade of these brooms, and for 
this purpose they are gathered extensively in some parts of the 
Islands. The handles of the brooms are made of the flowering 
stems variously interwoven or bound together, the panicles being 
arranged in a fan-like fashion to form the broom itself. The 
brooms are decidedly pretty and very effective for their special 
purpose. Thysanolaena brooms are more durable than those 
made from Phragmites and command a higher price. 
Thysanolaena maxima is widely distributed in Luzon, but is 
of local occurrence, especially at low and medium altitudes. At 
higher altitudes it is much more abundant, and in the pine region 
of the Mountain Province it is one of the characteristic, coarse 
grasses of ravines. It is distinguished by its ample, open panicle 
and its very numerous, minute spikelets. 
Family CYPERACEAE 
Genus CYPERUS 
CYPERUS MALACCENSIS Lam. (Plates XIII, XIV). BALANGGOT. 
Local names: Bagd-as (Bisaya) ; balanggét (Tagalog, Bisaya) ; balonggat 
(Pampanga) ; baranggét (Camarines) ; tikog (Agusan). 
The stems of this sedge are used for tying purposes, for 
making coarse hats, slippers, mats, and perhaps for baskets. 
For coarse work the entire stem is employed, but for the finer 
