Fiber Plants

Gossypium hirsutum, cotton, Malvaceae, cotton field in West Texas, flower, boll, cotton field, mature boll, cotton gin and bales of cotton

Ceiba pentandra, kapok, Bombacaceae, tree, drawing fruit with fibers exposed

Cocos nucifera, coconuts, Arecaceae, coconut trees, fruits with husks, coir

Corchorus olitorius, jute, Tiliaceae, plant and flower

Linum usitatissimum, flax, Linaceae, field, plants in flower, flax flower

Cannabis sativa, marijuana or hemp, Cannabaceae, plants in field

Boehmeria nivea, ramie, Urticaceae, plants

Agave sisalana, sisal, Agavaceae, field of sisal, plants, harvest of leaves, harvest of leaves, harvest of leaves, processing, bleaching of fibers, bleaching of fibers, fibers, fibers, processed fibers, fiber in warehouse
Some images courtesy of Drs. J. M. J. deWet, Ken Glander, and Axel Walter

Musa textilis, abac , Musaceae, line drawing of the plant

Agave lecheguilla, lechuguilla, Agavaceae, istle, plants and making cord

Agave fourcroyoides, Agavaceae, henequ­n, making cord from fiber

Phormium tenax, formio or New Zealand flax, Liliaceae, plant and flowers

Sorghum bicolor, broom corn, Poaceae, plant with inflorescence

Bambusa sp., bamboo, Poaceae, plants and stems

Chamaerops humilis, crin vegetal, Arecaceae, plant with inflorescence

Sabal minor, palmetto, Arecaceae, plant

Tillandsia usneoides, Spanish moss, Bromeliaceae, tree with plant, fruit

Silk production in Brazilsmall trees cultivated to feed silkworms, silkworms, silk production from pupal cases
Images courtesy of Dr. Ken Robertson.


Back to Fibers from Plants notes


Revised April 2005

© David S. Seigler, Integrative Biology 363, Plants and Their Uses, Department of Plant Biology, 265 Morrill Hall, 505 S. Goodwin Ave., University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA. 217-333-7577. seigler@life.uiuc.edu.