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|species=papyrifer
|species=papyrifer
|common_name=Rice-paper Plant
|common_name=Rice-paper Plant
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|habit=shrub
|habit_ref=Wikipedia
|Max ht box=20
|Max ht box=20
|Max ht metric=ft
|Max ht metric=ft
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Max wd box=15
|Max wd box=15
|Max wd metric=ft
|Max wd metric=ft
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|exposure=part-sun
|exposure=part-sun
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|flower_season=early fall, mid fall, late fall
|flower_season=early fall, mid fall, late fall
|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|flowers=white
|flowers=white
|Temp Metric=°F
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=8
|min_zone=8
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|max_zone=11
|max_zone=11
|image=Rice_Paper_Plant-Fitch.jpg
|image=Upload.png
|image_width=240
|image_width=240
}}
}}
'''''Tetrapanax papyriferus''''' ('''Tung-tsau''' or '''Rice-paper Plant''') is an [[evergreen]] [[shrub]] in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Araliaceae]], the sole [[species]] in the [[genus]] '''''Tetrapanax'''''. Its [[botanical name]] is unusual in that its [[specific epithet]] varies from one source to another, sometimes being rendered as "papyriferum" or "papyrifer". It is [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to [[Taiwan]], but widely [[cultivated]] in [[East Asia]] and sometimes in other [[tropical]] regions as well.* <ref> George W. Staples and Derral R. Herbst. 2005. "A Tropical Garden Flora". Bishop Museum Press: Honolulu, HI, USA. </ref>
The [[pith]] from the stem is used to make a substance commonly known as [[rice paper]], but more properly termed [[pith paper]].
It grows to 3-7 m tall, with usually unbranched stems 2 cm diameter bearing a rosette of large [[leaf|leaves]] at the top (superficially similar to a [[Arecaceae|palm]] crown). The leaves are carried on 40-60 cm petioles, the leaf blade orbicular, 30-50 cm across, deeply palmately lobed with 5-11 primary lobes, the central lobes larger and Y-forked near the end. It spreads extensively by sprouts from the [[root]] system underground. The [[inflorescence]] is a large [[panicle]] of hemispherical to globular [[umbel]]s near the end of the stem. The [[flowers]] have 4 or 5 small white petals. The [[fruit]] is a small [[drupe]].
'''''Tetrapanax papyrifer''''' ('''Tung-tsau''' or '''Rice-paper Plant''') is an evergreen [[shrub]] in the family [[Araliaceae]], the sole species in the genus '''''Tetrapanax'''''{{wp}}.
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