380 PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 
According to Dodge:* “The bast of this species yields a 
coarse fiber, suitable for native cordage.”’ 
The bark is used for washing the hair. Tobacco workers in 
Abra use the crushed leaves for removing the stain of tobacco 
leaves from their hands. 
Sapindus saponaria is a tree reaching a height of about 20 
meters and a diameter of about 60 centimeters. The leaves 
are alternate, smooth, and compound; the main stalk is expanded 
and leaflike. The flowers are small, white, and are borne in 
considerable numbers on compound inflorescences. The fruits 
are rounded and about 1.5 centimeters in length. 
This species is distributed from northern Luzon to Mindanao. 
Family RHAMNACEAE 
Genus ALPHITONIA 
ALPHITONIA EXCELSA Reiss. 
Local names: Anilau (Guimaras Island); dungli (Mindoro) ; tanggulai 
(Mindoro); tulo (Samar); wakdtan (Surigao). 
The bark of this tree is used for making rope. 
Alphitonia excelsa is a tree which reaches a height of 20 
meters. It has alternate, hairy, narrow leaves which are pointed 
at the apex, rounded at the base, about 9 centimeters long, and 
5 centimeters broad. The flowers are small and borne on com- 
pound, axillary or terminal inflorescences. The fruits are 
somewhat rounded, black, and over a centimeter in diameter. 
This species is distributed in forests from northern Luzon 
to Mindanao. 
Family VITACEAE 
Genus CISSUS 
CISSUS REPENS Lam. KALITKALIT. 
Local names: Ayo (Batangas); kalitkalit (Rizal, Balabae Island) ; 
rigint (Ticao Island). 
This species is used for tying carabaos. 
Cissus repens is a smooth vine reaching a length of 10 meters 
or less. The leaves are 7 to 12 centimeters long, the apex 
pointed, the base frequently heart-shaped. The flowers are 
small and greenish, and borne on inflorescences which are 
opposite the leaves or terminate the branches. The fruit is 
fleshy, purple, about 6 millimeters long, and with a single seed. 
This species is distributed from the Mountain Province of 
Luzon to southern Mindanao. 

* Dodge, C. R., A descriptive catalogue of useful fiber plants of the 
world. U. S. Department of Agriculture. Fiber investigations. Report 
No. 9, page 290. 
