The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Talipot \Tal"i*pot\, n. [Hind. t[=a]lp[=a]t the leaf of the
   tree.] (Bot.)
   A beautiful tropical palm tree (Corypha umbraculifera), a
   native of Ceylon and the Malabar coast. It has a trunk sixty
   or seventy feet high, bearing a crown of gigantic fan-shaped
   leaves which are used as umbrellas and as fans in ceremonial
   processions, and, when cut into strips, as a substitute for
   writing paper.
   [1913 Webster]
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Fan palm \Fan" palm`\ (Bot.)
   Any palm tree having fan-shaped or radiate leaves; as the
   Cham[ae]rops humilis of Southern Europe; the species of
   Sabal and Thrinax in the West Indies, Florida, etc.; and
   especially the great talipot tree (Corypha umbraculifera)
   of Ceylon and Malaya. The leaves of the latter are often
   eighteen feet long and fourteen wide, and are used for
   umbrellas, tents, and roofs. When cut up, they are used for
   books and manuscripts.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Corypha umbraculifera
    n 1: tall palm of southern India and Sri Lanka with gigantic
         leaves used as umbrellas and fans or cut into strips for
         writing paper [syn: talipot, talipot palm, Corypha
         umbraculifera]