Textile School

Flax, common name for a family of plants, and for plants of a genus within that family. One species is grown extensively for its fibre and seed. The fibre products include linen threads and fabrics, and the seed is the source of linseed oil and cattle meal. Other species are cultivated as ornamental plants or for pharmaceuticals.

Flax plants range in height from 30 to 100 cm (12 to 40 in) and have shallow tap roots. Because the stems contain the fibre, the taller varieties, which are sparsely branched, are used for fibre production. The seed-producing varieties have shorter stems and are more heavily branched. Both fibre and seed flaxes have narrow, alternate, lance-shaped leaves. The flowers are completely symmetrical, with five sepals, five petals, and ten stamens, and up to ten seeds are borne in a capsule. The flowers are yellow, blue, or white, but the flowers of most cultivated varieties range in colour from deep to pale shades of blue. Some varieties, which may have white, violet, pink, or red blossoms, make effective ornamental plants. Flax seeds are shiny and may be dark brown, yellow, or mottled in colour.

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