Plant cell walls are degraded by glycoside hydrolases that often contain noncatalytic carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), which potentiate degradation. There are currently 11 sequence-based cellulose-directed CBM families; however, the biological significance of the structural diversity displayed by these protein modules is uncertain. Here we interrogate the capacity of eight cellulose-binding CBMs to bind to cell walls. These modules target crystalline cellulose (type A) and are located in families 1, 2a, 3a, and 10 (CBM1, CBM2a, CBM3a, and CBM10, respectively); internal regions of amorphous cellulose (type B; CBM4-1, CBM17, CBM28); and the ends of cellulose chains (type C; CBM9-2). Type A CBMs bound particularly effectively to secondary cell walls, although they also recognized primary cell walls. Type A CBM2a and CBM10, derived from the same enzyme, displayed differential binding to cell walls depending upon cell type, tissue, and taxon of origin. Type B CBMs and the type C CBM displayed much weaker binding to cell walls than type A CBMs. CBM17 bound more extensively to cell walls than CBM4-1, even though these type B modules display similar binding to amorphous cellulose in vitro. The thickened primary cell walls of celery collenchyma showed significant binding by some type B modules, indicating that in these walls the cellulose chains do not form highly ordered crystalline structures. Pectate lyase treatment of sections resulted in an increased binding of cellulose-directed CBMs, demonstrating that decloaking cellulose microfibrils of pectic polymers can increase CBM access. The differential recognition of cell walls of diverse origin provides a biological rationale for the diversity of cellulose-directed CBMs that occur in cell wall hydrolases and conversely reveals the variety of cellulose microstructures in primary and secondary cell walls.Cellulose, a major component of plant cell walls and of the biomass of the earth, is a chemically invariant polymer comprising of up to 10,000 -1,4-linked-glucosyl residues. In cell walls cellulose is found in the form of linear insoluble microfibrils that result from self-association of cellulose chains subsequent to synthesis by plasma membrane-located complexes. Biophysical studies have shown that cellulose microfibrils can exist in highly ordered crystalline, semi-ordered para-crystalline, and disordered noncrystalline (amorphous) states (1). Cellulose microfibrils extensively encircle plant cells and are intimately associated with other polysaccharide networks in dense composites that comprise primary and secondary cell walls. The orientation of cellulose microfibrils and their connections with other wall polysaccharide networks are key factors in the generation of cell and organ shapes and mechanical strength during plant growth and development (2).The interactions between cellulose chains both within microfibrils and with matrix polysaccharides within the plant cell wall restrict their accessibility to enzyme attack. To overcome this problem glycoside hydrolas...