The hemicelluloses of Kapok (Ceiba pentandra).

Plant cell wa.lls consist ma.inly ot cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Coniferous and deciduous woods contain ail three constituants,although in varying proportions. Cellulose is a high molecular weight,linear polymer of D-glucose residues while hemicelluloses usually coesist of D-xylose and D-mannose residues with smaller amounts of D-galactose, D-glucose, L-arabinose, L-rhamnose, 4-0-methyl-D-glucuronic acid and other sugars. The main chain of hemicellulose ie much shorter than that of cellulose and is o!ten branched. [...