Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) are the sources of fibers used for textiles and other industrial applications. Both flax and kenaf produce fibers in the bast region (Fig. 1, 2) which must be separated from other tissues by retting. Although both flax and kenaf are bast fibers, their properties are vastly different. UV absorption microspectrophotometry and histochemistry elucidate their chemistry and structure related to enzymatic retting.

Aromatics such as lignins are produced by plants for protection and strength, but their presence inhibits microbial degradation, which is necessary in retting. Histochemical tests indicated variations in the site and type of aromatics within these two plants (1,2). In flax, acid phloroglucinol but not chlorine-sulfite gave positive reactions occasionally in fiber cell walls in the bast. The other cell walls in the bast did not contain aromatics by these tests, although aromatics occurred in the cuticle.