PLANT FIBERS AND RELATED PRODUCTS 527 



From material obtained from the very young leaves of 

 a somewhat palm-like plant (Carludovica) the well-known 

 Panama hats are woven. 



Several plants of the lily family, especially the so-called New 

 Zealand flax and the century plant (Fig. 391), furnish fibers. 



FIG. 300 



A portion of a cotton plant in bloom with a ripe capsule or boll b and seed .s. All 

 slightly reduced. After Wossidlo 



From a member of the banana family, a native of the 

 Philippines, but cultivated also in India, is obtained the ex- 

 tremely valuable manila fiber, one grade of which is so fine as 

 to be woven into delicate shawls and similar fabrics, while 

 the coarser kinds are used in the manufacture of manila 

 rope. 



Among dicotyledonous plants there are a considerable number 

 which serve as sources of commercial fibers. 



