40 



USEFUL FIBER PLANTS OF THE WORLD. 



from Central America, without name. Squier states that the Corosal, Coyal, or 

 Corojo palm abounds in dry and rocky locations in Central America and Cuba and 

 some other portions of tropical America. It is described as a tree 20 feet high, pro- 

 ducing a large cluster of nuts, with a hard shell, which yields an oil similar to that 

 of the cocoanut. The trunk and leaves of the coyal are armed with long, narrow, 

 hard spines. "The leaves are liued with a long and excellent fiber called Pita de 

 corojo, from which ropes and cords are manufactured. The fibers are equal to those 

 of Henequeu, from which they can hardly be distinguished." Among Brazilian palm 

 fibers the handbook of Para (W. C. E., 1893) mentions the mucuja as this species. 



A fine sample of Corojo fiber from Cuba 

 was contributed, by Messrs. Ide & Chris- 

 tie, to Kew in 1890. At the time it was im- 

 possible to trace its origin. A careful ex- 

 amination showed that the fiber was formed 

 of the epidermal layer of a palm leaf and 

 probably derived from a species of Bactris 

 or Acrocomia armed with prickles. In 

 March, 1895, a further inquiry elicited the 

 fact that the fiber was obtained from the 

 unopened leaflets of the " Gru-gru palm of 

 the West Indies (A. lasiospafha) ." The Kew 

 Mns. contains a cap and a strainer made from 

 the spathe, the latter nsed a3 a strainer for 

 cassava. Dr. Morris says: "It is a remark- 

 able fiber, and in jioint of tensile strength 

 it surpasses even the oil palm liber, Elais 

 guineensis." For further details refer to 

 Ann. Rept. U. S. Dep. Ag., 1879 ? p. 551; 

 Cantor Lectures on Commercial Fibers, by 

 Dr. D. Morris, p. 31. 



* Specimens. — Mus. U. S. Dept. Ag. 



Acrocomia sclerocarpa. Macaw 

 Tree. Gru gru. 



Endogen. A palm. 



Native names. — Macaiiba (Braz.); groo 

 groo (W.Ind.), of Fawcett. 

 The tree grows from 20 to 30 feet high; 

 found in Jamaica, Granada, Trinidad, Gui- 

 ana, and Brazil. (See fig. 8.) 



Fiber. — Derived from the leaves, valued 

 for local uses. " Distinguished from other fibers of this class by remarkable fineness 

 and softness." (Cross.) A. totai appeared in the collection of Argentina. "The 

 leaves of this species give a good textile fiber." (Xiederlein.) A. totai is known as 

 the Mbocaj/a. See notes on the State of Para, Exposition Handbook. Brazil, W. C. 

 E., 1893. 



* Specimens.— W. C. I... exhibits of Brazil and Argentina. 



FlG. 8.— The Mucuja. or Gru gru Palm. Aero 

 comia lasiospatha. 



Adam's needle. See Yu<<<i. 



