Petay

From Almeopedia

Petay is a weedy grass which grows widely in the tropical zone of Arcél; it quickly colonizes disturbed soil but is quickly crowded out by denser growth. Therefore it grows fast and before dying produces a large number of seeds, which are widely dispersed thanks to a fluffy attachment which catches the breeze. A riverbank, a trail, or a newly cleared field accumulates a sprinkling of these wispy seeds.

The wisps can be laboriously collected, separated from the seeds, and spun into cloth; for centuries this was the finest cloth available in the Bé region. The tedium of gathering the wisps is aggravated by the fact that the plant produces a skin irritant (this is not present in the seeds, but the seeds of course are found among the plants). Cotton bolls are much larger and the plant is easier to cultivate, so it’s preferred to grow cotton (or huar) in the highlands, or to import it.

The wisps are also used to make pillows or mats. The seeds are considered inedible but may be fed to nawr oxen.

Etymology: Lé pɛ̌té ‘float-weed’