phormium

/ ˈfɔːmɪəm /

noun

any plant of the New Zealand bulbous genus Phormium, with leathery evergreen leaves and red or yellow flowers in panicles

New Latin, from Greek phormos a basket (from a use for the fibres)

The robes of New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax), and especially the feather robes, evince their aptitude and taste.

New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax), a kind of marsh hemp, yields a fibre used in making cordage.

The slave girls stick unthreshed slips of the Phormium tenax in their skirts, thus giving immoderate fulness to their bodies.

It contains a Phormium tenax that I wouldn't lose on any account.

The more important fibres of this class are manila, sisal, phormium.

April 24, 2024gallimaufry

[gal-uh-maw-free ]

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