Rice Paper Plant (Arala Papyrifera)

Rare c.19th hand coloured lithograph of the Rice Paper Plant.

The Rice Paper Plant  is endemic to Taiwan and is used in traditional Chinese medicine and paper making. The pith from the stem is used to make a pith paper (rice paper). The paper was used extensively in late 19th century Guangdong as a common support medium for gouache paintings sold to Western clients. The paper was colloquially thought by Europeans to be ‘rice paper’.

Modern binomial name: Tetrapanax papyrifer (Hook.) K.Koch
First described: Hooker
Distribution: WA, VIC, NSW & QLD (in a few locations in each state)