**2.2 Anatomy structure of** *Elaeis guineensis*

Nonwood fibers are derived from selected tissues of various mono- or dicotyledonous plants [19] and are categorized botanically as grass, bast, leaf, or fruit fibers as can be seen in **Figure 3**. Nonwood fibers are classified as fibers such as sugar cane bagasse, wheat straw and corn stalks are byproducts. Other non-wood fibers are grouped as fiber plants which are plants with high cellulose content that are cultivated primarily for the sake of their fibers such as jute, kenaf, flax, cotton and ramie [20].

There are several types of nonwood produce useful byproducts, for example, oil of kenaf and flax seed. From nonwood fibers can also be used to make paper, although the quality varies as it depends on the fiber source [21]. The combination of wood and nonwood fiber can reduce the amount of chemicals needed for pulp. It also shortens the time the pulp, thus saving energy. High cellulose content of cotton linters (85–90%) compared to wood (35–49% cellulose), and low lignin content of hemp (3%) make valuable nonwood fibers for paper making [5].

In this study oil palm trunk was used and categorized in non-wood tree. Oil palm tree does not have cambium, secondary growth, growth ring, ray cell, sapwood, and heartwood or branches and knots. The anatomical structure of oil palm consists of parenchyma and vascular bundle, in contrast to hardwood and softwood which the cells consist of mostly fibers, trachieds, vessel parenchyma and

**Figure 3.** *Structure of non-wood.*

**Figure 4.** *Separation of oil palm trunk into parenchyma and vascular bundle.*

### *Chemical Composition of Parenchyma and Vascular Bundle from* Elaeis guineensis *DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98421*

ray parenchyma cells. In this study focused on chemical compositions of separated sample of oil palm trunk which are parenchyma and vascular bundle as shown in **Figure 4**.
