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Bowstring hemp

 - 2 dictionary results

bowstring hemp

–noun
any of various fibrous plants of the genus Sansevieria, of Asia and Africa, having stiff, erect, variegated or mottled leaves, cultivated in the U.S. as an ornamental.

Origin:
1865–70
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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bowstring hemp  
n.  
  1. Any of several tropical African and Asian perennial plants of the genus Sansevieria, having thick, swordlike, spine-tipped leaves grouped in rosettes.

  2. The fibers of any of these plants, used for bowstrings, cordage, mats, and nets.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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