Vegetable ivory

Vegetable ivory

"Vegetable ivory", also known as corozo, is a name used for the tagua nut in the South American rainforest. When dried out, it can be carved as an ivory replica. Both humanitarians and environmentalists can appreciate it, for its use stimulates the economies in South America, provides an alternative to cutting down rainforests for farming, and prevents elephants from being killed for the ivory in their tusks.

The ivory-nut palm, "Phytelephas aequatorialis", is one plant that can be harvested for vegetable ivory. It is often used for beads, buttons, and jewelry, and can be dyed. "Phytelephas macrocarpa", another species in the Phytelephas genus, is also used for this purpose. More recently, palm ivory has been used to make bagpipes.

External links

* [http://www.tagua.ca/ Site Dedicated to Tagua]
* [http://www.pueblito.ca/materials.php Some information and photos about Tagua]
* [http://andescollectibles.googlepages.com/whatistagua%3F What is Tagua? Article with photographs]
* [http://www.ecuadorianhands.com/blog-en/tagua-the-ivory-of-ecuador Video about Tagua. Plantations in Ecuador, South America]
* [http://waynesword.palomar.edu/pljan99.htm Vegetable Ivory: Saving Elephants & The Rain Forest]
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* [http://www.dmatherton.com/set7.htm Images of bagpipes made from african blackwood and palm ivory]


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  • Vegetable ivory — Vegetable Veg e*ta*ble, a. [F. v[ e]g[ e]table growing, capable of growing, formerly also, as a noun, a vegetable, from L. vegetabilis enlivening, from vegetare to enliven, invigorate, quicken, vegetus enlivened, vigorous, active, vegere to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Vegetable ivory — Ivory I vo*ry ([imac] v[ o]*r[y^]), n.; pl. {Ivories}. [OE. ivori, F. ivoire, fr. L. eboreus made of ivory, fr. ebur, eboris, ivory, cf. Skr. ibha elephant. Cf. {Eburnean}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The hard, white, opaque, fine grained substance… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • vegetable ivory — Ivory I vo*ry ([imac] v[ o]*r[y^]), n.; pl. {Ivories}. [OE. ivori, F. ivoire, fr. L. eboreus made of ivory, fr. ebur, eboris, ivory, cf. Skr. ibha elephant. Cf. {Eburnean}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The hard, white, opaque, fine grained substance… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • vegetable ivory — n. 1. the fully ripe, ivorylike seed of a South American palm (Phytelephas macrocarpa) used to make buttons, ornaments, etc. 2. the shell of the coquilla nut …   English World dictionary

  • vegetable ivory — ivory (def. 9). [1835 45] * * * …   Universalium

  • vegetable ivory — noun nutlike seed of a South American palm; the hard white shell takes a high polish and is used for e.g. buttons • Syn: ↑ivory nut, ↑apple nut • Hypernyms: ↑seed • Part Holonyms: ↑ivory palm, ↑ivory nut palm, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • vegetable ivory — noun Date: 1842 1. the hard white opaque endosperm of the ivory nut that takes a high polish and is used as a substitute for ivory 2. ivory nut …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • vegetable ivory — noun a hard white material obtained from the endosperm of the ivory nut …   English new terms dictionary

  • vegetable ivory — veg′etable i′vory n. pln the hard endosperm of the ivory nut, used to make buttons, ornamentation, etc • Etymology: 1835–45 …   From formal English to slang

  • vegetable ivory — /vɛdʒtəbəl ˈaɪvəri/ (say vejtuhbuhl uyvuhree) noun See ivory (def. 8) …  

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