malacca cane

plural malacca canes

1. Alternative letter-case form of Malacca cane.

   A chunky malacca cane with a rubber tip hung on the rail beside him.

   1953, Ian Fleming, “Moment of Truth”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 79

plural Malacca canes · alternative malacca cane

1. uncountableCalamus scipionum, a species of thick rattan climbing palm native to Southeast Asia; its material; (inexact) closely similar species and their material.

   Malacca cane grows in clumps in the jungle.

   1965, Charles Shuttleworth, Malayan Safari, page 88

   1 more example

   The mallets or sticks [sc. used in polo] are generally of malacca cane.

   1897, Outing, number 30, page 483

2. countablefashionA walking stick made of C. scipionum or similar material with a rich but mottled brown color.

   Malacca canes have frequently to be colored in parts.

   1874, Edward H. Knight, The Practical Dictionary of Mechanics, volume I, page 443

   2 more examples

   The well-known ‘Malacca Canes’... do not occur about Malacca itself, but are imported from Siak, on the opposite coast of Sumatra.

   1856, Berthold Carl Seemann, A Popular History of the Palms and Their Allies, page 131

   Adrian checked the orchid at his buttonhole, inspected the spats at his feet, gave the lavender gloves a twitch, smoothed down his waistcoat, tucked the ebony Malacca-cane under his arm, swallowed twice and pushed wide the changing-room door.

   1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section I, page 5

   Synonyms: malacca stick