Raffian Palm, Or Raffia

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Raffian palm, or Raffia (Latin Raphia) - a genus of evergreen plants of the Arecaceae family (lat. Arecaceae), or Palm (lat. Palmaceae). Like other palm species, Raffia plants are easily recognizable for their luxurious feathery leaves. Moreover, it is the palms of this genus that have the largest leaves among all plants on our planet. Particularly large leaves are distinguished by the form

Raphia regalis", And the view"

Raphia taedigera Chose the tropics of South and Central America for his place of residence, while the rest of the species of the genus preferred Africa, and especially fell in love with the island of Madagascar.

Description

The genus Raffia has in its ranks about twenty species of palm trees growing in the tropical regions of the African continent, and only one species with the name "Raphia taedigera" preferred the American tropics to Africa. The large leaves of the Raphia taedigera palm are permeated with veins that serve as fibers called raffia. In addition, the palm produces fruits called “Brazilian pods” (“uxi nuts” or “uxi pods”).

The palms of the Raffia clan do not differ in their height, rising to the heavens to a height of only sixteen meters. But in terms of the size of their leaves, they are leading among all other representatives of the plant world. Especially distinguished in this palm "Raphia regalis", the length of the leaves of which reaches twenty-five meters with a width of three meters.

Different species of the genus have different reproductive abilities. Some species are monocarp plants, that is, they bloom and bear fruit only once in their life. Having entrusted their continued existence on earth to ripe fruits, the palms completely die. But there are also species in which, after fruiting, only individual stems die, having fulfilled its purpose in this world, while the root system remains alive, giving birth to new stems, ready to give fruit again.

Raffia textile fibers

Raffia fibers are widely used all over the world. Of these, ropes, twine are weaved; they make napkins, hats that save the head from sunstroke, shoes and all kinds of textiles, including decorative rugs and rugs.

The fibers are obtained from veins located on the underside of each individual leaflet, from which one large cirrus leaf is formed. The veins are removed from the leaf and create a thin long fiber that is easily dyed and used in a similar way to textile fibers from other plants.

Raffia fibers are especially good in horticulture as a natural rope when you need to transplant, for example, trees. They are also used in construction.

Raffian palm juice and wine

A milky white liquid containing sugars runs through the inner arteries of the trunk of the Raffia palm tree to nourish the palm leaves. An inventive person has adapted to collect this nutritious and tasty drink, similar to the collection of birch sap in our country. In the upper part of the stem, the so-called "crown" of a palm tree, people make incisions, hang a pumpkin bottle and get ready juice. True, unlike oil palms, the sap of which is also collected by people, for the Raffia palm such a process is destructive, which does not stop people.

Freshly harvested juice tastes sweet. After standing for several days, it turns into wine, in which there are three degrees of alcohol. Raffia palm juice wine is sweeter than oil palm wine. Fans of stronger drinks distill wine, getting the desired strong potion, which they drink themselves and treat their guests.

Similar drinks are popular in the Philippines, Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria and some other ethnic groups living in the tropics of West Africa.

It turns out that the fermented drink of Raffia was to the taste not only of people, but also of chimpanzees, whose lives have been observed by scientists in Guinea-Besau for seventeen years. Chimpanzees stole wine from containers hung on palm trees by people, and blissed out.