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flax, narrow-leaf flax, pale flax

Habit Herbs, biennial or short-lived perennial (flowering 1st year), 6–60 cm, glabrous.
Stems

erect, usually branched from near base and in inflorescence.

Leaves

blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 5–25 × 1–1.5 mm.

Inflorescences

open panicles.

Pedicels

10–25 mm.

Flowers

homostylous;

sepals ovate, 4–5.5 mm, margins of inner sepals minutely ciliate, outer glabrous, apex acute to acuminate;

petals blue, obovate, 6–10 mm;

stamens 4–5 mm;

anthers 1–2.5 mm;

staminodia present or absent;

styles distinct, 2 mm;

stigmas linear or clavate.

Capsules

broadly ovate to subglobose, 4–6 × 4–6 mm, apex very sharp-pointed, segments ± persistent on plant, margins ciliate.

Seeds

2.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm.

2n

= 30.

Linum bienne

Phenology Flowering Mar–Aug.
Habitat Grasslands, woodlands, disturbed places.
Elevation 0–1900 m. (0–6200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; PA; BC; Europe; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America (Argentina, Chile), Pacific Islands (New Zealand)]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Linum bienne is thought to be the progenitor of L. usitatissimum (D. J. Ockendon 1971).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 374.
Parent taxa Linaceae > Linum > sect. Linum
Sibling taxa
L. alatum, L. allredii, L. arenicola, L. aristatum, L. australe, L. berlandieri, L. carteri, L. catharticum, L. compactum, L. elongatum, L. floridanum, L. grandiflorum, L. harperi, L. hudsonioides, L. imbricatum, L. intercursum, L. kingii, L. lewisii, L. lundellii, L. macrocarpum, L. medium, L. neomexicanum, L. perenne, L. pratense, L. puberulum, L. rigidum, L. rupestre, L. schiedeanum, L. striatum, L. subteres, L. sulcatum, L. trigynum, L. usitatissimum, L. vernale, L. virginianum, L. westii
Synonyms L. angustifolium
Name authority Miller: Gard. Dict. ed. 8, Linum no. 8. (1768)
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