Woodlands Bast Fiber Reference Collection

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Note: this page is in progress. Please do not link or cite until it is finalized

Description

Some images of plant fibers in the FRIL Database are from the Woodland Plant Fiber Reference Collection as the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Pre-Columbian clothing, baskets, pouches, cords and mats were often made from the inner layers of bark and plants. In the northern and eastern regions of North America, the most commonly used fibers were

  • Basswood: Bass wood (Tilia americana)
  • Elm: Slippery elm (Ulnus rubra)
  • Nettle: Stinging nettle (Urtica dioca)
  • Dogbane: Dogbane (Apocynum annabinum)
  • Milkweed: Common milkweed (Aspclepias syria), Swamp milkweed (Aspclepias incarnate)

A table containing a comparison of these fibers can be found here.

Common name Scientific Name Micro-fibrillar Spin Crystals Crystal Diagram Cross-section Diagram Fiber Diameter (microns) Fiber
L:W Ratio
EDS
results
Dogbane Apocynum cannabinum S Calcium sulfate in parenchyma
Dogbane xsection.jpg
Range: 5-35
Typical: 15-25
2.09 Ca, S, Na
Nettle Urtica dioica S Frequent calcium oxalate druses in parenchyma.
Nettle xstals.jpg
Nettle xsection.jpg
Range: 10-75
Typical: 15-70
2.7 Ca, S
Common milkweed Asclepias syriaca S Infrequent calcium oxalate druses in parenchyma, calcium sulfate in parenchyma.
Common milkweed xsection.jpg
Range: 10-30
Typical: 10-20
1.3 Ca, S, Na
Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata S Infrequent calcium oxalate druses in parenchyma, calcium sulfate in parenchyma.
Swamp milkweed xsection.jpg
Range: 5-25
Typical: 15-20
1.23 Ca, S, Na
Basswood Tilia americana Z Calcium oxalate druses and prismatic, found within fiber network.
Calcium sulfate also present.
Basswood xstals.jpg
Basswood xsection.jpg
Range: 8-20
Typical: 10-18
1.32 Ca, S, Na
Slippery elm Ulmus rubra Z? Frequent calcium oxalate prismatic crystals in fiber network.
Slippery elm xstals.jpg
Slippery elm xsection.jpg
Range: 4-14
Typical: 5-10
1.59 Ca, Mg, Na

Resources and Citations

  • Nora Frankel, edited 4/10/18, National Museum of the American Indian

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