Flax (also known as
common flax or
linseed), with the binomial name
Linum usitatissimum, is a member of the genus
Linum in the family
Linaceae. It is a food and fiber crop that is grown in cooler regions of the world. The textiles made from flax are known in the West as
linen, and traditionally used for bed sheets, underclothes and table linen. The oil is known as
linseed oil. In addition to referring to the plant itself, the word "flax" may refer to the unspun fibers of the flax plant. The plant species is known only as a cultivated plant, and appears to have been domesticated just once from the wild species
Linum bienne, called pale flax.