Rattan

A plant, and all materials derived from it (primarily cane and reed) have been used largely in the production of baskets and wicker furniture. It is obtained from such areas as as China, Southeast Asia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Its earliest use in basketry has been dated to the third millennium BCE. Rattan has been used as the framework for wicker furniture since the mid-19th century, although most wicker from the 1870s-1940s was made with a wooden structure.Rattan is both a vine and a palm, known to grow along the ground and up into jungle trees, reaching lengths of up to 600 feet and diameters of up to four inches. Rattan has a thorny bark that must be removed to reveal the inner skin, from which cane is made, with a naturally glossy surface. Reed comes from the pithy core of rattan.(pr. rə-TAN)Also see bamboo, dowel, raffia, and rush.