What is Prosea?
PROSEA stands for Plant Resources of South-East Asia and is: an international programme focused on the documentation of information on plant resources of South-East Asia; interdisciplinary, covering the fields of agriculture, forestry, horticulture and botany; a research programme, making the knowledge available for education and extension; ecologically focused on promoting plant resources for sustainable tropical land-use systems; committed to conservation of biodiversity; committed to rural development through diversification of resources and application of farmers’ knowledge.
PROSEA 17: ‘Fibre plants’
Volume 17 deals with plants of South-East Asia that are cultivated or collected from the wild as fibre plants. A broad definition of fibre plants has been applied, and they are considered to comprise: plants used for textiles, cordage, and paper (including those used for toothbrushes, sponges and cork); plants used for making baskets, mats and wickerwork (including brooms); and plants used for packing and thatching (including leaves used as platters, for garments and as sandpaper). This diverse group includes species producing the well-known plant fibres of international trade such as cotton, jute and flax, of which the use dates back to early civilizations. The group also includes many lesser-known fibre plants, which are of regional or local importance only.
This volumes covers 72 major species, including abaca, cantala, cotton, flax, jute, kapok, kenaf, ramie, roselle and sisal, treated in 45 papers. There are also 126 brief treatments of 129 species of minor importance. A further 600 species, not primarily but secondarily used as fibre plants, are listed