pith paper

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Scope note
Paper made from thin layers of pith cut from two species of rice paper plants cultivated in China, Japan, and Thailand. Often erroneously referred to as 'rice paper,' which is misleading since it has no relationship to rice itself. The pith is cut in spirals to form long ribbons, the exposed cellular structure of the pith giving the paper a unique spongy structure. Pith paper is stretchy when wet and brittle when dry; it will crack when heated and is easily damaged by abrasion. Among other uses, pith paper was used for 19th-century Chinese watercolor paintings and artificial flowers. For handmade paper having long fibers from the paper mulberry, gampi, or mitsumata plant, use "Japanese paper." For soft, fine-textured paper of bamboo fiber originating in China, use "China paper."
pith paper
Accepted term: 15-Dec-2025