BSCI 124 - SECTION 2001
PLANT BIOLOGY FOR NON-SCIENCE MAJORS

Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics

Plant Fiber Materials: Cloth, Paper, and Wood.
Herbs and Spices.

    PLANT FIBERS FOR PAPER, CORDAGE, AND TEXTILES
    I. Fiber definitions
        A. Botanical fiber
        B. Nutritional fiber
        C. Commercial fiber

    II. Types of commercial fibers
        A. Textile fibers
            1. Surface fibers: from surface of seeds (cotton), leaves, and fruits (coconut core).
            2. Soft stem fibers: from phloem tissue.
            3. Hard leaf fibers: from vascular bundle tissue.
        B. Paper making fibers: single cells of cotton or wood (pine).
        C. Other minor fiber types: brush and broom fibers; weaving fibers; and filling fibers.

    III. Commercially important textile fibers
        A. Cotton (Gossypium sp.)
            1. is economically the most important non-food crop.
            2. only 4 domesticated species: Gossypium herbaceum, Gossypium arboreum, Gossypium hirsutum, and Gossypium barbadense.
            3. cotton boll = the fruit. Cotton lint clings to seed.
            4. What did Eli Whitney invent?  What did cotton processing initiate?
            5.  The Healing Touch of Cotton: inventing new ways to use this natural fiber.
        B. Flax (Linum usitatistimum)
            1. The oldest plant fiber known (10,000 years)
        C. Other minor textile fibers: Ramie, Hemp, Jute, Kapok, Rayon (synthetic), Sisal, and Kenaf.

    IV. Papermaking fibers
        A. Papyrus
        B. Tetrapanax
        C. Mulberry tree
        D. Cotton fibers
        E. Modern Paper today
            1. Wood pulp
            2. Heartwood
            3. Sapwood

    HERBS AND SPICES
    I. Definitions
        A. Herbs = aromatic leaves
        B. Spices = aromatic stems, fruits, seeds, roots, and bark
        C. Essential oils = the flavor and aroma components of herbs and spices
        D. Spice trade drove ‘The Age of Exploration’
        E. Old World Spices: cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, turmeric
        F. New World Spices: chile peppers, vanilla, allspice
        G. Herbs
            1. Mint family:
            2. Parsley family:
            3. Mustard family:
4. Lily family: