Flora of North America species comparison

ascending, branched at base, herbaceous throughout.

alternate or sometimes proximal leaves opposite, appressed-ascending;

stipular glands present (conspicuous);

blade linear, 7–20 × 0.6–1.5 mm, margins entire or distal leaves sparsely glandular-toothed, ciliate, apex acute; 1-nerved.

alternate, opposite, or whorled, simple;

stipules absent or present as small, dark, spheric glands;

petiole usually absent, rarely present;

blade margins entire, serrate, or denticulate;

venation pinnate.

open panicles.

terminal, racemes, panicles, or cymes (rarely thyrses or corymbs in Linum) [spikes].

5–10 mm.

sepals falling tardily, lanceolate, 4–7 mm, margins of inner sepals scarious, glandular-toothed, apex acute to acuminate, puberulent at least on midrib;

outer 3-nerved;

petals yellowish orange to salmon, with maroon or reddish base, obcordate or broadly obovate, 9–15 mm;

stamens 4–7 mm;

anthers 0.6–1.4 mm;

staminodia absent;

styles connate nearly to apex, 3–7 mm;

stigmas dark, capitate.

bisexual;

perianth and androecium hypogynous;

hypanthium absent;

sepals 4–5, connate basally [distinct];

petals 4–5, distinct or coherent basally, imbricate or convolute, bases sometimes with appendages;

nectary extrastaminal;

stamens 4–5 [10], connate basally, filament tube and petal bases adherent or adnate [free];

anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits;

pistil 1, 2–5-carpellate, ovary superior, 4–5-locular, placentation axile or apical-axile;

ovules 2 per locule, anatropous;

styles 2–5, distinct or partly connate;

stigmas 2–5.

capsules, dehiscence septicidal, or indehiscent or schizocarps breaking into 4 nutlets (Sclerolinon).

ovoid-ellipsoid, 3.5–4 × 2.5–5 mm, apex obtuse, dehiscing into 5, 2-seeded segments, segments persistent on plant, false septa complete, proximal margin not terminating in loose fringe, distal part cartilaginous, margins ciliate.

1.5–3 × 0.9–1.3 mm.

2 per locule, seed coat often mucilaginous.

= 30.