Definition

Noun: 1. A species of palm tree: A large, feather-leaved palm tree (Raphia farinifera, syn. R. ruffia) native to Africa and Madagascar. It is characterized by having extremely long, pinnately divided leaves (fronds). 2. A source of fiber: The tree whose leafstalks yield a strong, commercially important natural fiber, also called raffia.

Usage Notes

• The term "raffia ruffia" is a specific botanical name. In everyday language, the tree is more commonly referred to simply as a "raffia palm."
• The primary commercial interest in this tree is the fiber obtained from the undersides of its leafstalks.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The raffia ruffia is cultivated in tropical regions for its durable fiber.
  • Fibers from the raffia ruffia are used in horticulture for tying plants.

Advanced Usage

• In botanical and agricultural contexts, the full Latin binomial may be used for precise identification.
• The term can appear in texts discussing the cultivation of natural fibers or the flora of Madagascar and Eastern Africa.

Variants and Related Words

• Raffia (noun): 1. The fiber obtained from the raffia palm. 2. A common name for the palm tree itself (short for "raffia palm").
  • She used natural raffia to weave a basket.
• Raffia palm (noun): The common name for trees of the genus , including .

Synonyms

• Raffia palm
• (scientific synonym)

Different Meanings

• This term refers specifically to the plant species. It does not have other unrelated meanings. The common word raffia primarily refers to the fiber product, not the tree.

Noun

1. a large feather palm of Africa and Madagascar having very long pinnatisect fronds yielding a strong commercially important fiber from its leafstalks