Editing Abacá (section)

==Description==
The abacá plant is [[stoloniferous]], meaning that the plant produces runners or shoots along the ground that then root at each segment.{{sfn|Bailey|1947}} Cutting and transplanting rooted runners is the primary technique for creating new plants, since seed growth is substantially slower.{{refn|group=nb|A plant grown from a shoot takes three years to maturity; while a plant grown from a seed takes four years to maturity.<ref name=wor>{{harvnb|Worcester|1899|p=506}}</ref>}}<ref name=wood>{{harvnb|Wood|Roberts|2005|p=301}}</ref> Abacá has a "false trunk" or pseudostem about {{convert|6|-|15|in|cm}} in diameter.{{sfn|Bailey|1947}} The leaf stalks ([[Petiole (botany)|petioles]]) are expanded at the base to form [[Leaf sheath|sheath]]s that are tightly wrapped together to form the pseudostem. There are from 12 to 25 leaves, dark green on the top and pale green on the underside, sometimes with large brown patches. They are oblong in shape with a deltoid base.{{sfn|Bailey|1947}} They grow in succession. The petioles grow to at least {{convert|1|ft|cm}} in length.{{sfn|Bailey|1947}}

When the plant is mature, the flower stalk grows up inside the pseudostem. The male flower has five petals, each about {{convert|1.5|in|cm}} long.{{sfn|Bailey|1947}} The leaf sheaths contain the valuable fiber. After harvesting, the coarse fibers range in length from {{convert|6|-|12|ft|cm}} long.{{sfn|Bailey|1947}} They are composed primarily of [[cellulose]], [[lignin]], and [[pectin]].

The fruit, which is inedible{{sfn|Bailey|1947}} and is rarely seen as harvesting occurs before the plant fruits, grows to about {{convert|2|-|3|in|cm}} in length and {{convert|1|in|cm}} in diameter.{{sfn|Bailey|1947}} It has black turbinate seeds that are {{convert|0.167|in|cm}} in diameter.{{sfn|Bailey|1947}}