Rattany
/ˈrætəni/noun
A variant spelling of rhatany, a South American shrub whose root was formerly used medicinally as an astringent.
Did you know?Rattany’s root comes from Krameria shrubs and contains tannins, compounds historically valued for their strongly astringent effects.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian period
Quechua
ratania
“A Quechua plant name, probably referring to the medicinal shrub later known scientifically as Krameria”
18th Century
Spanish
ratania
“The name for the South American medicinal plant and its root”
18th Century
English
rhatany
“A medicinal astringent root imported from South America”
18th–19th Century
English
ratany
“A variant form of rhatany”
Modern English
English
rattany
“An alternative spelling of rhatany, now chiefly historical or botanical”