Difference between revisions of "Milkweed fiber"
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Fibers obtained from the seeds of any of several milkweed plants of the genus ''Asclepias''. Milkweeds are a native perennial in North America. The seed pods produce a silky lightweight fuzz, called silk or floss. The lustrous, soft fibers are yellowish white in color. Milkweed fibers are too brittle to spin and are used for upholstery padding. They also have good buoyancy and were used as substitutes for [[kapok|kapok]] in lifebuoys during World War II. | Fibers obtained from the seeds of any of several milkweed plants of the genus ''Asclepias''. Milkweeds are a native perennial in North America. The seed pods produce a silky lightweight fuzz, called silk or floss. The lustrous, soft fibers are yellowish white in color. Milkweed fibers are too brittle to spin and are used for upholstery padding. They also have good buoyancy and were used as substitutes for [[kapok|kapok]] in lifebuoys during World War II. | ||
| − | [[File:MilkweedSeedsf5.jpg|thumb|Common milkweed ''Asclepias syriaca'']] | + | [[File:MilkweedSeedsf5.jpg|thumb|Common milkweed seed ''Asclepias syriaca'']] |
* For milkweed fiber identification, see http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Category:FRIL:_Plant_Fibers | * For milkweed fiber identification, see http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Category:FRIL:_Plant_Fibers | ||
== Synonyms and Related Terms == | == Synonyms and Related Terms == | ||
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<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
| − | File:42 milkweed 200X pol.jpg|Milkweed | + | File:42 milkweed 200X pol.jpg|Milkweed fibers at 200x polarized light |
| − | File:42 milkweed 200X.jpg|Milkweed | + | File:42 milkweed 200X.jpg|Milkweed fibers at 200x transmitted light |
File:milkweedfiberslarge.jpg|Milkweed fiber | File:milkweedfiberslarge.jpg|Milkweed fiber | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
Latest revision as of 15:46, 18 October 2022
Description
Fibers obtained from the seeds of any of several milkweed plants of the genus Asclepias. Milkweeds are a native perennial in North America. The seed pods produce a silky lightweight fuzz, called silk or floss. The lustrous, soft fibers are yellowish white in color. Milkweed fibers are too brittle to spin and are used for upholstery padding. They also have good buoyancy and were used as substitutes for Kapok in lifebuoys during World War II.
- For milkweed fiber identification, see http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Category:FRIL:_Plant_Fibers
Synonyms and Related Terms
Asclepias; vegetable silk; milkweed floss; milkweed fibre (Br.); asclépiade (Fr.); zijdeplant (Asclepias syriaca) (Ned);
Risks
The sap and leaves of the plant are toxic to all mammals.
Physical and Chemical Properties
Fiber length = ~ 2 cm
Additional Images
Milkweed fibers at 200x polarized light
Milkweed fibers at 200x transmitted light
Milkweed fiber
Resources and Citations
- R.King, E.Hartley, "Unusual Fibers Used in Northwest Coast Ethnographic Textiles, Their Preparation & Their Structure", Technology & Conservation, 1/79.
- J.Gordon Cook, Handbook of Textile Fibres:I Natural Fibres, Merrow Publishing Co. , Durham, England, 1984
- Poisonous Plants at http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/poison/plants/ppmilkw.htm (Accessed Nov. 9, 2005)
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkweed (Accessed Nov. 9, 2005)
- Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997
- The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998