Any of various kinds of palm or esp. palmetto; (also) the fibre or edible leaf bud from certain of these.

The prepared fibre of the husk of the coco-nut, used for making ropes, cordage, matting, etc. Originally, the thread or cordage made of this fibre.

The fibre obtained from any of various Central and South American plants, chiefly agaves and the bromeliad Aechmea magdalenae; a rope made from such…

The jaggery palm, Caryota urens; hence, a strong black fibre obtained from the leaf-stalks of this, used for making ropes, brushes, etc.

The silky, elastic down or fibre obtained from various bombaceous and other tropical trees, and chiefly used for packing, stuffing pillows and…

General attributive, as pita-fibre, pita-flax, pita-thread, etc.

A kind of banana plant, Musa textilis, native to the Philippines, the petioles of which yield a strong fibre. Also: the fibre itself, used for making…

As a mass noun: the long fibrous roots of any of several aromatic grasses, esp. the vetiver Chrysopogon zizanioides, typically used for making…

A palm tree, Arenga pinnata, native to Malaya and the East Indies, and cultivated elsewhere, particularly in India; also, the fibre obtained from…

= coconut fibre n. at coconut, n. compounds 3.

the fibres of the pseudostem of the abaca plant Musa textilis (family Musaceae), used to make ropes, matting, paper, etc.; this plant itself.

the fibre of the leaves of the pineapple.

= mung, n.2

More fully piassava fibre. The fibre obtained from any of these palms, used for making brooms, brushes, etc. Later also: fibre from the Asian toddy…

(a) (also paragrass) a coarse fodder grass, Brachiaria mutica, native to South America and West Africa and widely cultivated in tropical and…

The soft fibre from the leaves of any of the raffia palms, used extensively as garden twine, in handicrafts such as basket-making, and to make coarse…

transferred. African hair or vegetable hair: see quots.

More fully ambari hemp. The fibre from the stem of a plant, Hibiscus cannabinus (family Malvaceae), used for making rope, canvas, and paper. Also…

The Algerian name for a Mediterranean grass, Ampelodesma (Arundo) tenax, the fibrous stems of which are used for making cordage, etc.

A grass, Saccharum munja, found in South Asia, whose leaves yield fibre used for making ropes and matting. More fully munj fibre, munj grass.

the fibre obtained from the persistent leaf bases of either of two kinds of Brazilian palm, the Pará piassava, Leopoldinia piassaba, and the…

= vegetable horsehair n. at vegetable, adj. compounds 2.

A plant of the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae) widely grown in tropical Asia, Vigna radiata (also known as Phaseolus radiatus or P. aureus)…

Originally: the hala tree, Pandanus tectorius; (now chiefly) the dried leaf of the tree used as a material to make woven items.

A fibre obtained from the leaf-bases or leaf-stalks of certain palms, used in the manufacture of brushes, ropes, etc.; also the palm from which this…

= raffia, n. 2.

A valuable fibre obtained (in Mexico and Central America) from Bromelia sylvestris and species of Agave, as A. ixtli, and used for cordage, nets…

= raffia, n. 2.

(see quots.).

Any of several Brazilian palms of the genera Astrocaryum and Bactris, esp. Astrocaryum vulgare, from the young leaves of which the indigenous…

= Manila hemp n.

A fibre obtained from the leaf-bases of the palmyra Borassus flabellifer, used in the manufacture of brooms, ropes, etc. Also attributive, as bassine…

A plant of dry regions belonging to the genus Dasylirion of the family Agavaceæ, native to south-western North America and bearing linear leaves and…