Linum compactum
Linum pratense
Wyoming flax
blue flax, meadow flax, Norton's flax
erect, branched from base and throughout, bushy.
± spreading or ascending, or branches from base prostrate.
alternate, spreading to ascending;
stipular glands absent;
blade linear, 10–28 × 1–1.5 mm, margins entire or sparsely toothed on distal leaves, not ciliate, apex acute.
blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, 8–20 × 0.7–2.3 mm.
dense panicles.
open panicles or racemes.
2–7 mm.
8–25 mm.
sepals tardily deciduous, lanceolate, 5–9 mm, margins narrowly scarious, conspicuously glandular-toothed, apex acute to acuminate;
petals yellow, obovate, 6–11 mm;
stamens 4–6 mm;
anthers 0.4–0.8 mm;
staminodia absent;
styles connate nearly to apex, 2.5–4 mm;
stigmas capitate.
homostylous;
sepals ovate, 3–5 mm, margins glabrous, apex acute;
petals usually blue, rarely white, obovate, 5–14 mm;
stamens 3–5 mm;
anthers 0.4–1.3 mm;
staminodia present;
styles distinct, 1–3 mm;
stigmas capitate.
ovoid, 3.5–4.4 × 2.7–3.5 mm, apex obtuse, dehiscing into 5, 2-seeded segments, segments persistent on plant, false septa complete, proximal part membranaceous, not terminating in loose fringe, distal part cartilaginous, margins not or only minutely ciliate.
broadly ovate to subglobose, 4–6 mm diam., apex obtuse, segments persistent on plant, margins ciliate.
2.6–3.1 × 1–1.3 mm.
3–5 × 1.2–1.6 mm.
= 30.
= 18.
Linum compactum
Linum pratense
Linum compactum is generally low-growing, much branched, and bushy; its flowers are smaller than those of L. rigidum. Linum compactum is found on the high plains in open areas. C. M. Rogers (1984) suggested that it might be closely related to L. australe, which differs in being more slender with more open habit and of pine forest habitats.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
In a study of pollination in Linum pratense, G. E. Uno (1984) observed that petals dropped soon after anthesis and the persistent sepals quickly moved inward, pressing the dehiscing anthers against the receptive stigmas. Small bees and flies were seen to visit flowers even after the petals fell. Uno noted sepals closing in both L. lewisii and L. rigidum, but in these species the stamens tend to be somewhat shorter than the styles so self-pollination was less likely.
C. M. Rogers (1984) wrote that some plants of Linum pratense intergrade with L. lewisii in areas where their ranges overlap; however, in most of its range, L. pratense is the only blue-flowered Linum, and can be distinguished from the occasional plant of L. bienne or L. usitatissimum by its lack of cilia on the inner sepals and its capitate stigmas.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
IL Wildflowers
KS Wildflowers
MO Plants
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
