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Manila hemp

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

Manila hemp the most important of the cordage fibers. It is obtained chiefly from the Manila hemp plant ( Musa textilis ) of the family Musaceae ( banana family). It is grown mainly in its native Philippine Islands, where it has been cultivated since the 16th cent. and is known as abacá. The abacá is in no way related to the true hemp; it is of the same genus as the common banana, which it closely resembles except for the inedible fruit. At maturity the plants are cut down, and the long fibers are taken from overlapping leaves that converge at the base to form a false stem. The fibers are exceptionally strong and durable. The coarser ones are used for binder twine, matting, and rope, particularly marine cordage because of their resistance to the action of saltwater; the finer grades are woven into beautiful native fabrics and hemp hats. Manila paper is made chiefly from old Manila hemp ropes and is valuable as a strong wrapping paper. Manila hemp is classified in the division Magnoliophyta , class Liliopsida, order Zingiberales, family Musaceae.

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abacá

A Dictionary of Plant Sciences | 1998 | | Copyright

abacá (Manila hemp) The strongest of the hard, natural fibres. It is extracted from the pseudostems of Musa textilis (see MUSA), a relative of the edible bananas. Grown mainly in the Philippines, and native to that region, it is used to make ropes that are resistant to humidity, salt water, and fresh water, and to make special, strong papers (e.g. for tea-bags).

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "abacá." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "abacá." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-abac.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "abacá." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-abac.html

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abacá

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

abacá see Manila hemp .

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"abacá." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"abacá." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-abaca.html

"abacá." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-abaca.html

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Manila hemp

A Dictionary of Plant Sciences | 1998 | | Copyright

Manila hemp See ABACÁ.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "Manila hemp." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Manila hemp." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-Manilahemp.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Manila hemp." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-Manilahemp.html

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abaca

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

abaca •bazooka, euchre, farruca, lucre, palooka, pooka, rebuker, snooker, Stuka, verruca •babushka •booker, cooker, hookah, hooker, looker, Sukkur •Junker • onlooker • yarmulke •Hanukkah • manuka •chukka (US chukker), ducker, felucca, fucker, mucker, plucker, pucker, pukka, shucker, succour (US succor), sucker, trucker, tucker, yucca •skulker, sulker •bunker, hunker, lunker, punkah, spelunker •busker, tusker •latke • motherfucker • bloodsucker •seersucker • abaca • stomacher •Linacre, spinnaker •massacre •Jataka, Karnataka •Tripitaka • Ithaca •burka, circa, Gurkha, jerker, lurker, mazurka, shirker, smirker, worker •tearjerker • craftworker •metalworker • networker •caseworker • fieldworker •teleworker • shopworker • outworker •homeworker • stoneworker •woodworker

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Green Mountain State says go smoke a rope. (legalization of industrial hemp... Magazine article from: Insight on the News; 6/3/1996
	Squatting here & there; (Editor's note: Squatters have delayed the timetable... Newspaper article from: Manila Bulletin; 9/28/2004
	The abaca regains respect abroad.(Opinion and Editorial) Newspaper article from: Manila Bulletin; 1/30/2009