"Raffia" and "Rafia" redirect here. For not to be confused with, see Raphia.
Raffia palms (Raphia from Malagasy: rafia derived from fia "to squeeze juice"[2]) are a genus of about twenty species of palms native to tropical regions of Africa, and especially Madagascar, with one species (R. taedigera) also occurring in Central and South America.[1]R. taedigera is the source of raffia fibers, which are the veins of the leaves, and this species produces a fruit called "brazilia pods", "uxi nuts" or "uxi pods".[3]
They grow up to 16 metres (52 ft) tall and are remarkable for their compound pinnateleaves, the longest in the plant kingdom; leaves of R. regalis up to 25 metres (82 ft) long[4] and 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide are known. The plants are monocarpic, meaning that they flower once and then die after the seeds are mature. Some species have individual stems which die after fruiting, but have a root system which remains alive and sends up new stems which fruit.
Removing the membraneRolling the fibres together before dryingWeaving raffia.
Raffia fiber is produced from the epidermalmembrane on the underside of the leaf fronds. The membrane is taken off to create a long thin fiber, which can be rolled together for added strength before they are finally dried. Fibres can be made into twine, rope, garden ties, and used in tree grafting.[2][5] Fibres are important in the area of textiles, as they can be dyed and woven into products such as decorative mats, baskets, placemats, hats, and shoes.
Raffia wineedit
The sap of the palm can be fermented into raffia wine.[2] It is traditionally collected by cutting a box in the top of the palm and suspending a large gourd below to collect the milky white liquid. Unlike with oil palms, this process kills the tree. Sap from both the raffia and oil palms can be allowed to ferment over a few days. When first collected from the tree, it is sweet and appears slightly carbonated. As it ages more sugar is converted. Raffia wine tends to be sweeter at any age when compared to oil palm wine. Both kinds of palm wine can also be distilled into strong liquors, such as Ogogoro. Traditionally in some cultures where raffia or oil palm are locally available, guests and spirits are offered these drinks from the palm trees.[citation needed]
Other usesedit
In local construction, raffia fibres are used for ropes, with branches and leaves providing sticks and supporting beams, and various roof coverings.[2] The people of Ogba kingdom in Rivers State and other southern Nigerians use raffia palm fronds as fishing poles. The frond is usually cut from a young palm tree. The leaves are removed and the stake is dried, which becomes very light, and the hook is attached to a line, which is tied to the stake, making it a fishing pole.[citation needed]
Synthetic raffia string longitudinally unfurled into a ribbon
A strand of raffia has a maximum length of about 1.5 m and an irregular width. When found on spools or hanks of greater lengths, it is likely synthetic raffia, produced from polypropylene. First produced by Covema in collaboration with Sulzer, a manufacturer of flat weaving looms for natural fibers, who adapted their looms to process synthetic raffia. These fabrics are used to make carpet backing, protective sheets, and bags for rice, potatoes, and citrus fruit. Covema also developed a method to cover raffia fabric with a thin film of polyethylene in order to make it waterproof.[6]
Raffia is woven to make the traditional Munganji dancer suit used in Bapende ceremonies in the Gungu region of Bandundu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
western Africa from Democratic Republic of Congo to Benin
Referencesedit
^ abKew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
^ abcdBoiteau, Pierre (1999). "rafia". Dictionnaire des noms malgaches de végétaux (in French). Vol. I. Editions Alzieu. p. 196.
^Tucker, A.; Redford, A.; Scher, J.; Trice, M. (2010). "Raphia taedigera". Dried Botanical ID. Fort Collins, CO: Delaware State University, Identification Technology Program, CPHST, PPQ, APHIS, USDA. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
^Hallé, F. 1977. The longest leaf in palms? Principes21: 18.
^"Natural Raffia – Your New Go-to Material in Fair Fashion - One of a Mind by ABURY". abury.net. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
^Baucia, Giovanni. "C'era una volta...l'estrusione". Polimerica.it (in Italian). Cronoart Srl. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
External linksedit
Kew palms checklist: Raphia
Sorting Raphia names
PACSOA: Raphia
South Africa plants: Raphia australis
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: Raphia
Raphia articles 2009-06-15 at the Wayback Machine at Palm Pedia
February 16, 2024
raffia, palm, raffia, rafia, redirect, here, confused, with, raphia, raphia, from, malagasy, rafia, derived, from, squeeze, juice, genus, about, twenty, species, palms, native, tropical, regions, africa, especially, madagascar, with, species, taedigera, also, . Raffia and Rafia redirect here For not to be confused with see Raphia Raffia palms Raphia from Malagasy rafia derived from fia to squeeze juice 2 are a genus of about twenty species of palms native to tropical regions of Africa and especially Madagascar with one species R taedigera also occurring in Central and South America 1 R taedigera is the source of raffia fibers which are the veins of the leaves and this species produces a fruit called brazilia pods uxi nuts or uxi pods 3 Raffia palmScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade MonocotsClade CommelinidsOrder ArecalesFamily ArecaceaeSubfamily CalamoideaeTribe LepidocaryeaeGenus RaphiaP Beauv They grow up to 16 metres 52 ft tall and are remarkable for their compound pinnate leaves the longest in the plant kingdom leaves of R regalis up to 25 metres 82 ft long 4 and 3 metres 9 8 ft wide are known The plants are monocarpic meaning that they flower once and then die after the seeds are mature Some species have individual stems which die after fruiting but have a root system which remains alive and sends up new stems which fruit Contents 1 Cultivation and uses 1 1 Fiber 1 2 Raffia wine 1 3 Other uses 1 4 Synthetic raffia 2 Species 3 References 4 External linksCultivation and uses editFiber edit See also Kuba textiles nbsp Removing the membrane nbsp Rolling the fibres together before drying nbsp Weaving raffia Raffia fiber is produced from the epidermal membrane on the underside of the leaf fronds The membrane is taken off to create a long thin fiber which can be rolled together for added strength before they are finally dried Fibres can be made into twine rope garden ties and used in tree grafting 2 5 Fibres are important in the area of textiles as they can be dyed and woven into products such as decorative mats baskets placemats hats and shoes Raffia wine edit The sap of the palm can be fermented into raffia wine 2 It is traditionally collected by cutting a box in the top of the palm and suspending a large gourd below to collect the milky white liquid Unlike with oil palms this process kills the tree Sap from both the raffia and oil palms can be allowed to ferment over a few days When first collected from the tree it is sweet and appears slightly carbonated As it ages more sugar is converted Raffia wine tends to be sweeter at any age when compared to oil palm wine Both kinds of palm wine can also be distilled into strong liquors such as Ogogoro Traditionally in some cultures where raffia or oil palm are locally available guests and spirits are offered these drinks from the palm trees citation needed Other uses edit In local construction raffia fibres are used for ropes with branches and leaves providing sticks and supporting beams and various roof coverings 2 The people of Ogba kingdom in Rivers State and other southern Nigerians use raffia palm fronds as fishing poles The frond is usually cut from a young palm tree The leaves are removed and the stake is dried which becomes very light and the hook is attached to a line which is tied to the stake making it a fishing pole citation needed The raffia palm is important in societies such as that of the Province of Bohol in the Philippines Kuba of Democratic Republic of the Congo Nso of Cameroon the Igbo and Ibibio Annang Bahumono of Southeastern Nigeria the Tiv of Northcentral Nigeria and Southwestern Cameroons the Urhobo and Ijaw people of the Niger delta Nigeria and the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria among several other West African ethnic nations citation needed Synthetic raffia edit nbsp Synthetic raffia string lon gi tu di nal ly unfurled into a ribbon A strand of raffia has a maximum length of about 1 5 m and an irregular width When found on spools or hanks of greater lengths it is likely synthetic raffia produced from polypropylene First produced by Covema in collaboration with Sulzer a manufacturer of flat weaving looms for natural fibers who adapted their looms to process synthetic raffia These fabrics are used to make carpet backing protective sheets and bags for rice potatoes and citrus fruit Covema also developed a method to cover raffia fabric with a thin film of polyethylene in order to make it waterproof 6 nbsp Raffia can be used in tree grafting nbsp Kuba raffia cloth panel nbsp Raffia is woven to make the traditional Munganji dancer suit used in Bapende ceremonies in the Gungu region of Bandundu Province Democratic Republic of the Congo nbsp Raphia animals in MadagascarSpecies edit nbsp Raffia palm fruitImage Scientific name DistributionRaphia africana Otedoh Nigeria Cameroon nbsp Raphia australis Oberm amp Strey Mozambique South Africa nbsp Raphia farinifera Gaertn Hyl Africa from Senegal to Tanzania south to Mozambique and ZimbabweRaphia gentiliana De Wild Democratic Republic of Congo Central African RepublicRaphia hookeri G Mann amp H Wendl western and central Africa from Liberia to AngolaRaphia laurentii De Wild Angola Democratic Republic of Congo Central African RepublicRaphia longiflora G Mann amp H Wendl from Nigeria to Democratic Republic of CongoRaphia mambillensis Otedoh Nigeria Cameroon Central African Republic SudanRaphia mannii Becc Nigeria BiokoRaphia matombe De Wild Cabinda Democratic Republic of CongoRaphia monbuttorum Drude Nigeria Cameroon Chad Central African Republic South SudanRaphia palma pinus Gaertn Hutch western Africa from Liberia to CabindaRaphia regalis Becc central Africa from Nigeria to AngolaRaphia rostrata Burret Cabinda Democratic Republic of CongoRaphia ruwenzorica Otedoh eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Rwanda BurundiRaphia sese De Wild Democratic Republic of Congo nbsp Raphia sudanica A Chev western Africa from Senegal to Cameroon nbsp Raphia taedigera Mart Mart Nigeria Cameroon Central America Costa Rica Nicaragua Panama South America Colombia Para State of Brazil Raphia textilis Welw Cabinda Democratic Republic of Congo Gabon AngolaRaphia vinifera P Beauv western Africa from Democratic Republic of Congo to BeninReferences edit a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families a b c d Boiteau Pierre 1999 rafia Dictionnaire des noms malgaches de vegetaux in French Vol I Editions Alzieu p 196 Tucker A Redford A Scher J Trice M 2010 Raphia taedigera Dried Botanical ID Fort Collins CO Delaware State University Identification Technology Program CPHST PPQ APHIS USDA Retrieved 7 October 2016 Halle F 1977 The longest leaf in palms Principes 21 18 Natural Raffia Your New Go to Material in Fair Fashion One of a Mind by ABURY abury net Retrieved 2021 09 10 Baucia Giovanni C era una volta l estrusione Polimerica it in Italian Cronoart Srl Retrieved 21 October 2021 External links editKew palms checklist Raphia Sorting Raphia names PACSOA Raphia South Africa plants Raphia australis Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Raphia Raphia articles Archived 2009 06 15 at the Wayback Machine at Palm Pedia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Raffia palm amp oldid 1193507485, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
