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wild blue flax

Habit Glabrous and somewhat glaucous perennial, from a woody crown, the stem 1-6 dm. tall.
Leaves

Leaves alternate, linear, 1-3 cm. long, 1-nerved, acute to rounded.

Flowers

Inflorescence a terminal raceme, the pedicels slender, about as long as the flowers;

sepals 5, 4-7 mm. long, the margins membranous, entire;

petals 5, blue, 10-23 mm. long;

stamens 5, united at the base to form a short tube, with tooth-like projections 1 mm. long on the tube alternate with the filaments;

styles 5, much longer than the stamens,

Fruits

Capsule 10-celled.

Linum sulcatum

Linum lewisii

Flowering time May-July
Habitat Dry, open areas from prairies to alpine ridges.
Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Great Plains and eastern Canada.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Origin Native
Conservation status Not of concern
Sibling taxa
L. lewisii, L. perenne, L. usitatissimum
L. perenne, L. usitatissimum
Subordinate taxa
L. lewisii var. lewisii
Web links