Raffia Palm

Raffia palms are members of the genus Raphia, which contains about twenty species of palms native to tropical regions of Africa, especially Madagascar, with one species, R. taedigera, also occurring in Central and South America. They grow up to 16 metres tall and have compound pinnate leaves, the longest in the plant kingdom. Raffia fibre comes from the epidermal membrane on the underside of the leaf fronds and is made into twine, rope, mats and baskets. The sap can be fermented into raffia wine, and, unlike with oil palms, collecting it kills the tree. Wikipedia says that traditionally in some cultures where raffia or oil palm grow, guests and spirits are offered these palm drinks, although that line carries a citation-needed notice. The article lists the Kuba, the Igbo, the Ibibio, the Yoruba and the Kongo, among other peoples, as societies for whom the raffia palm is important.