Wild cane

noun WILE KIEN waɪl keːn

Also spelled wild-cane, wildcane, river cane

The tall wild reed or cane that grows in dense thickets along riverbanks and in damp waste ground — not the sugar cane of the fields, but a slender wild grass-cane used for making arrows and toy 'lances', roof laths, fish traps, and other country contrivances. Its plumes wave over the river, and 'wild cane' thickets are a haunt of birds and, in children's play, of hidden adventures.

  • Di wild cane grow thick pon di river bank.

    The wild cane grows thick on the riverbank.

  • Pickney mek lance outta wild cane.

    Children make spears out of wild cane.

  • Bird hide inna di wild cane.

    Birds hide in the wild cane.

From 'wild' + 'cane' (reed); the tall wild river reed (vs sugar cane). See [[bamboo]], [[wiss]].

The tall wild river reed (not sugar cane); used for toy spears, laths, etc. See [[bamboo]], [[wiss]].