What does «abacá» mean in Spanish?
- Large herbaceous plant, similar to esparto grass, of the musaceae family, native to Borneo and the Philippines. Its species: Musa textilis. Similar to the banana, but its fruits are not edible, and have a straight and narrow foliage. Its fiber (also known as Manila hemp) is highly prized for its great strength and durability. The plant was first cultivated on a large scale in 1925 on the island of Sumatra by the Dutch. They observed the cultivation in the Philippines and their objective was to manufacture cordage.