Abacá, from Spanish "abacá", pronounced ("ah buh KAH"), (Musa textilis) is a species of
banana native to the
Philippines, grown widely as well in
Borneo and
Sumatra. It is sometimes referred to as "BacBac". The plant is of great economic importance, being harvested for its fibre, called
Manila hemp, extracted from the large, oblong
leaves and stems. On average, the plant grows about 20 feet (6 meters) tall. The fibre is used for making twines and ropes. The plant's name is sometimes spelt Abaká. It was first cultivated on a large scale in
Sumatra in 1925 under the
Dutch, who had observed its cultivation in the Philippines for
cordage since the 1800s, followed up by plantings in
Central America sponsored by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Commercial planting began in 1930 in
British North Borneo; with the commencement of WWII, the supply from the Philippines was eliminated by the
Japanese.
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arhit. abacus
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