raffia palm

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

raffia palm
    n 1: a large feather palm of Africa and Madagascar having very
         long pinnatisect fronds yielding a strong commercially
         important fiber from its leafstalks [syn: {raffia palm},
         {Raffia farinifera}, {Raffia ruffia}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Raffia palm \Raf"fi*a palm\ (r[a^]f"f[i^]*[.a] p[aum]m`).
   (a) A pinnate-leaved palm ({Raphia ruffia}) native of
       Madagascar, and of considerable economic importance on
       account of the strong fiber (raffia) obtained from its
       leafstalks.
   (b) The jupati palm.
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]