ramie Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun tall perennial herb of tropical Asia with dark green leaves; cultivated for the fiber from its woody stems that resembles flax
    Boehmeria nivea; China grass; Chinese silk plant; ramee.

WordNet

Ram"ie noun
Etymology
From Malay.
Definitions
  1. (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.

Webster 1913