Plant of the Linaceae family (Linum usitatissimum) from which the seeds, linseed oil is extracted, and from the stem, through the soaking of fibres, a canvas is produced that together with the hemp canvas , is the most commonly utilized as a support for paintings. The fibre may absorb water up until 13% of its weight: in thermohygrometrics various movements of expansion and contractrion are more limited compared to those of cotton. During combustion, it burns rapidly (as all vegetable fibres); it resists alkali, but is sensitive to acids. The colour ranges from dirty white to light gray.