abaca
A type of plantain or banana (Musa textilis),
native to the Philippine Islands. The outer
sheaths of its leaf stems yield a fiber used
extensively in the manufacture of certain papers,
e.g., saturating papers, where great strength is
required. The fibers range in length from 3 to 12
mm, the average being 6 mm, and vary in thickness
from 0.016 to 0.032 mm, averaging 0.024 mm. They
taper very gradually towards the ends; the central
canal is large, and the fine cross-hatchings are
numerous. Also called "Manila hemp." (17 , 323 )
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