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PROTA 16: Fibres

       The PROTA Fibres project 

In the International Year of Natural Fibres 2009 PROTA has started ‘PROTA 16: Fibres’: a project to highlight the wealth of diversity and the potential for development of the many fibre plants of tropical Africa, funded partially by the COFRA Foundation (Switzerland).

‘PROTA 16: Fibres’ will review and make widely available the dispersed knowledge on the fibre plants of tropical Africa, either cultivated or collected. It will highlight traditional and modern uses, technical, physical and chemical properties, facilitate identification of useful species, describe sound cultivation and processing practices and consider the conservation status of the species.

Choice of species 

The commodity group ‘fibres’ comprises the plants in tropical Africa that are cultivated or collected from the wild as fibre plants. A broad definition of fibre plants has been applied, and the group not only includes plants made into textiles and cordage, but also those used for making paper, for thatching, packing and filling, as tying material, and for the production of baskets, mats, wickerwork, brooms and toothbrushes. This diverse group includes species producing the well known plant fibres of international trade such as cotton and sisal, but also many lesser-known fibre plants, which are of regional or local importance only.

Editors 

Current state of activities (January 2010) 

  • Planning: c. 100 species in extended format (‘major species’); c. 360 species in reduced format (‘minor species’ and ‘mentioned species’). 

  • Authors sought for different species, see table below. Anyone interested to contribute as an author of one of these species is kindly invited to notify Dr Martin Brink (martin.brink@wur.nl). Please also indicate your former experience and/or publications on the subject.

The major species are listed in the following table:

Species

Authors

Abroma augusta L.f.

E. Wabuyele, Kenya

Acacia gerrardii Benth.

Nyunaï Nyemb, Cameroon

Acacia kamerunensis Gand.

W. Bandoh, Ghana

Aframomum angustifolium (Sonn.) K.Schum.

author sought

Agave cantala Roxb.

F. Mairura, Kenya

Agave sisalana Perrine

E.C. Ikitoo, Kenya

Anadelphia afzeliana (Rendle) Stapf

A.J. Bague Serrano, Cuba

Boehmeria nivea (L.) Hook.f. & Arn.

author sought

Bombax buonopozense P.Beauv.

D. Hubert, Central African Republic

Bombax costatum Pellegr. & Vuillet

P. Bosu, Ghana

Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent.

F.W. Owusu, Ghana

Calamus deerratus G.Mann & H.Wendl.

T.C.H. Sunderland, Indonesia

Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn.

C.S. Duvall, United States

Cissus quadrangularis L.

A.T. Tchinda, Cameroon

Cladium mariscus (L.) Pohl

G. Vaughan, United States

Clappertonia polyandra (K.Schum.) Bech.

R.B. Jiofack Tafokou, Cameroon

Cleistopholis patens (Benth.) Engl. & Diels

D. Hubert, Central African Republic

Combretum aculeatum Vent.

S. Konsala, Cameroon
G. Todou, Cameroon

Corchorus aestuans L.

S. Ndanikou, Benin

Corchorus capsularis L.

H.A.M. van der Vossen, Netherlands

Corchorus olitorius L.

L. Fondio, Côte d’Ivoire
G.J.H., Grubben, Netherlands

Crotalaria juncea L.

A. Maroyi, Zimbabwe

Cryptolepis oblongifolia (Meisn.) Schltr.
(Ectadiopsis oblongifolia (Meisn.) Schltr.)

author sought

Cymbopogon caesius (Hook. & Arn.) Stapf

W. Alberts, South Africa
K. Swanepoel, South Africa

Cyperus papyrus L.

G. Vaughan, United States

Diospyros lycioides Desf.

L. Mujuru, Zimbabwe

Dombeya burgessiae Gerrard ex Harv.

W. Alberts, South Africa
K. Swanepoel, South Africa

Dypsis fibrosa (C. H. Wright) Beentje & J. Dransf.

G. Vaughan, United States

Entada rheedei Spreng.

S. Sikolia, Kenya

Eremospatha dransfieldii Sunderland

E. Opuni-Frimpong, Ghana
E. Ebanyenle, Ghana
T.C.H. Sunderland, Indonesia

Eremospatha macrocarpa (G.Mann & H.Wendl.) H.Wendl.

E. Opuni-Frimpong, Ghana
E. Ebanyenle, Ghana
T.C.H. Sunderland, Indonesia

Eucalyptus alba Reinw. ex Blume

S. Masila, Kenya

Eucalyptus deglupta Blume

D. Sekyere, Ghana

Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell.

G. Vaughan, United States

Ficus exasperata Vahl

R. Niangadouma, Gabon

Ficus natalensis Hochst.

G. Rwabaingi, Uganda

Furcraea foetida (L.) Haw.

G. Vaughan, United States

Girardinia diversifolia (Link) Friis

M. Brink, Netherlands

Gomphocarpus fruticosus (L.) W.T.Aiton

A. Gurib-Fakim, Mauritius

Gossypium arboreum L.

E.C. Ikitoo, Kenya

Gossypium barbadense L.

L. G. Todou, Cameroon
S. Konsala, Cameroon

Gossypium herbaceum L.

L. Jimu, Zimbabwe

Gossypium hirsutum L.

E.C. Ikitoo, Kenya

Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult.

Teshome Soromessa, Ethiopia

Hibiscus cannabinus L.

R. Bukenya-Ziraba, Uganda

Hibiscus diversifolius Jacq.

W. Bandoh, Ghana

Hibiscus micranthus L.f.

W. Bandoh, Ghana

Hibiscus sabdariffa L.

N.C. McClintock, United States
I.M. El Tahir, Sudan

Hibiscus tiliaceus L.

E. Matu, Kenya

Hyparrhenia filipendula (Hochst.) Stapf

S. Kativu, Zimbabwe

Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf

S. Kativu, Zimbabwe

Hyperthelia dissoluta (Nees ex Steud.) Clayton

S. Kativu, Zimbabwe

Hyphaene thebaica (L.) Mart.

Teshome Soromessa, Ethiopia

Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch.

J. Lepetu, Botswana

Julbernardia globiflora (Benth.) Troupin

L. Jimu, Zimbabwe

Laccosperma secundiflorum (P.Beauv.) Kuntze

E. Opuni-Frimpong, Ghana
E. Ebanyenle, Ghana
T.C.H. Sunderland, Indonesia

Laportea aestuans (L.) Chew

M. Brink, Netherlands

Lepironia articulata (Retz.) Domin

A.J. Bague Serrano, Cuba

Linum usitatissimum L. W. Adugna, Ethiopia

Loeseneriella africana (Willd.) R.Wilczek ex N.Hallé

R.B. Jiofack Tafokou, Cameroon

Luffa cylindrica (L.) M.Roem.

E. Achigan-Dako, Benin

Manniophyton fulvum Müll.Arg.

R.B. Jiofack Tafokou, Cameroon

Marantochloa leucantha (K.Schum.) Milne-Redh. 

V.A. Kémeuzé, Cameroon

Marantochloa purpurea (Ridl.) Milne-Redh.

R.B. Jiofack Tafokou, Cameroon

Megaphrynium macrostachyum (Benth.) Milne-Redh.

R.B. Jiofack Tafokou, Cameroon

Millettia barteri (Benth.) Dunn

Nyunaï Nyemb, Cameroon

Musa textilis Née

G. Vaughan, United States

Pandanus candelabrum P.Beauv.

P. Bosu, Ghana

Pandanus odoratissimus L.f.

P. Oudhia, India

Pandanus utilis Bory

M. Brink, Netherlands

Paullinia pinnata L.

H. Avohou, Benin

Pavonia urens Cav.

V.A. Kémeuzé, Cameroon

Peddiea africana Harv.

W. Alberts, South Africa
K. Swanepoel, South Africa

Phacelurus gabonensis (Steud.) Clayton

N.S. Alvarez Cruz, Cuba

Phoenix reclinata Jacq.

Kiflu Segu, Ethiopia

Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.

A. Maroyi, Zimbabwe

Phragmites vallatoria (Pluk. ex. L.) J.F.Veldkamp

L.P.A. Oyen, Netherlands

Piliostigma reticulatum (DC.) Hochst.

F. Vodouhé, Benin

Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redh.

R. Vodouhé, Benin
Debissa Lemessa, Ethiopia

Pinus taeda L.

J. Mudekwe, Mozambique

Polygala butyracea Heckel

E. Matu, Kenya

Raphia farinifera (Gaertn.) Hyl.

L. Jimu, Zimbabwe

Raphia hookeri G.Mann & H.Wendl.

M. Brink, Netherlands

Raphia palma-pinus (Gaertn.) Hutch.

author sought

Raphia sudanica A.Chev.

author sought

Raphia vinifera P.Beauv.

R.B. Jiofack Tafokou, Cameroon

Sansevieria aethiopica Thunb.

R. Takawira-Nyenya, Zimbabwe/Norway

Sansevieria hyacinthoides (L.) Druce

R. Takawira-Nyenya, Zimbabwe/Norway

Sansevieria liberica Gérôme & Labroy

R. Takawira-Nyenya, Zimbabwe/Norway

Sansevieria pearsonii N.E.Br.

R. Takawira-Nyenya, Zimbabwe/Norway

Sarcophrynium brachystachyum (Benth.) K.Schum.

V.A. Kémeuzé, Cameroon

Sida cordifolia L.

H. Bourobou, Gabon

Sida rhombifolia L.

F. Mairura, Kenya

Sterculia africana (Lour.) Fiori

N.S.A. Derkyi, Ghana
F.W. Owusu, Ghana

Thalia geniculata L.

N.S. Alvarez Cruz, Cuba

Trachyphrynium braunianum (K.Schum.) Baker

V.A. Kémeuzé, Cameroon

Triumfetta bartramia L. / T.  rhomboidea Jacq.

S. Sikolia, Kenya

Triumfetta cordifolia A.Rich.

R.B. Jiofack Tafokou, Cameroon

Typha domingensis (Pers.) Steud.

W.J. van der Burg, Netherlands

Typha latifolia L.

W. Alberts, South Africa
K. Swanepoel, South Africa

Urena lobata L.

P. Bosu, Ghana

Wissadula rostrata (Schumach. & Thonn.) Hook.f.

A. Mahamane, Niger


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