ABSTRACT
Linseed, flax, or flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an ancient crop grown throughout the temperate regions of the world, but nowhere, except perhaps Canada, is it a major crop. The name usitatissimum means “most useful.” The stems can be used for fiber, the seeds for oil, and the meal for feed (1). It is also the root of many common words. Some derivations are obvious (e.g., flaxen, as an adjective; linen, the textile derived from the bast fibers;) linoleum, the original flooring product made from both the fiber and the oil). Others are less apparent: line, from the long straight fibers; lingerie, made from the comfortable high-quality textile, even linnet, the European finch, which eats flaxseeds; and lint.
