What is Abacá?
[[File:AmCyc_Manila_Hemp.jpg|thumb|right|Abacá]] '''Abacá''' ({{IPAc-en|ɑː|b|ə|ˈ|k|ɑː}} {{respell|ah-bə|KAH|'}}; {{lang-fil|Abaka}} {{IPA-tl|ɐbɐˈka|}}), binomial name '''''Musa textilis''''', is a type of [[banana]]. It is native to the [[Philippines]].<ref name=GRIN>{{harvnb|Agricultural Research Services Botanists|1995}}</ref> It is grown as a commercial crop in the Philippines, [[Ecuador]], and [[Costa Rica]]. The plant, also known as '''Manila hemp'''.<ref name=GRIN/> It is very important to the economy. It is harvested for its [[fiber]], also called [[Manila hemp]], extracted from the leaf-stems.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Musa textilis Née — The Plant List|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-255018|access-date=2021-04-22|website=www.theplantlist.org|archive-date=2017-08-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805231405/http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-255018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[plant]] grows to {{convert|13|-|22|ft|m}}, and averages about {{convert|12|ft|m}}. The fiber was originally used for making twines and [[rope]]s. It is used in a variety of [[paper]] products including [[Tea bag|tea bags]], [[filter paper]] and [[banknote]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-12-03|title=(research) Plant Molecular Biology and Plant Virology « National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology|url=http://www.nimbb.upd.edu.ph/?page_id=103|access-date=2021-04-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203005532/http://www.nimbb.upd.edu.ph/?page_id=103|archive-date=2013-12-03}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} {{biology-stub}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Abaca}} [[Category:Musaceae]]