ramie (plant); ramie fiber
Refers to the plant Boehmeria nivea var. nipononivea and its fiber, used for textiles. Often written in kana.
See also: ラミー
Ramie fiber is strong and has been used for cloth since ancient times.
Ramie cultivation is thriving in this region.
Standard kanji spelling for the plant and its fiber.
Alternative kanji spelling, also read ちょま or まお.
Katakana spelling is common in botanical contexts and everyday writing.
The origin of からむし is uncertain. It may be a compound of 幹 (から, 'stem') and 苧 (むし, 'ramie'), but this is not confirmed.