What is "ramie"

Ramie \Ram"ie\ (r[a^]m"[-e]), n. [From Malay.] (Bot.) The grasscloth plant ( B[oe]hmeria nivea); also, its fiber, which is very fine and exceedingly strong; -- called also China grass, and rhea. See Grass-cloth plant, under Grass.

n. 1 (lb en usually countable) A tall, tropical Asian perennial herb, (taxlink Boehmeria nivea species noshow=1), cultivated for its fibrous stems. 2 (lb en usually uncountable) fibre extracted from this plant, resembling flax.

n. tall perennial herb of tropical Asia with dark green leaves; cultivated for the fiber from its woody stems that resembles flax [syn: ramee, Chinese silk plant, China grass, Boehmeria nivea]

Ramie (, ) is a flowering plant in the nettle family Urticaceae, native to eastern Asia. It is a herbaceous perennial growing to 1–2.5 m tall; the leaves are heart-shaped, 7–15 cm long and 6–12 cm broad, and white on the underside with dense small hairs—this gives it a silvery appearance; unlike stinging nettles, the hairs do not sting. The true ramie or China grass, is also called Chinese plant or white ramie.

A second type, known as green ramie or rhea, is believed to have originated in the Malay Peninsula. It has smaller leaves which are green on the underside, and it appears to be better suited to tropical conditions. The word ramie is derived from the Malay word rami.