rattan

n. species of palm tree with tough stems that are used for wickerwork

Rattan (from the Malay rotan), is the name for the roughly six hundred species of palms in the tribe Calameae, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Australasia. Most rattans are distinct from other palms in having slender stems 2–5 cm diameter with long internodes between the leaves; their consequent growth habit also differs, not being trees but vine-like, scrambling through and over other vegetation. They are also superficially similar to bamboo, but distinct in that the stems ("malacca") are solid, rather than hollow, and also in their need for some sort of support; while bamboo can grow on its own, rattan cannot. Some genera (e.g. Metroxylon, Pigafetta, Raphia) are however more like typical palms, with stouter, erect trunks. Many rattans are also spiny, the spines acting as hooks to aid climbing over other plants, and also to deter herbivores. Rattans have been known to grow up to hundreds of metres long. Most (70%) of the world's rattan population exist in Indonesia, distributed among Borneo, Celebes, Sumbawa islands. The rest of the world's supply comes from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Bangladesh.
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Noun
1. climbing palm of Sri Lanka and southern India remarkable for the great length of the stems which are used for Malacca canes
(synonym) rattan palm, Calamus rotang
(hypernym) calamus
(part-meronym) malacca
2. the stem of various climbing palms of the genus Calamus and related genera used to make wickerwork and furniture and canes
(synonym) rattan cane
(hypernym) cane
3. a switch made from the stems of the rattan palms
(synonym) ratan
(hypernym) switch

n. rattan, species of palm tree with tough stems that are used for wickerwork

(n.)
One of the long slender flexible stems of several species of palms of the genus Calamus, mostly East Indian, though some are African and Australian. They are exceedingly tough, and are used for walking sticks, wickerwork, chairs and seats of chairs, cords and cordage, and many other purposes.