A flexible vine-like plant that grows in tropical rainforests and is often woven into furniture, baskets, and other crafts.
From Malay rotan, which refers to the rattan palm plant native to Southeast Asia. European traders encountered it in the colonial era and borrowed the word directly from local languages.
Rattan is so flexible because it evolved to climb through dense rainforests by wrapping around trees—and that same springiness that lets it bend without breaking is exactly why it's perfect for rocking chairs!
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