Linum puberulum
Linum elongatum
desert flax, hairy flax, plains flax
Laredo flax
ascending, branched at base, herbaceous throughout.
erect to ascending, branches diffuse.
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, ascending;
stipular glands present throughout or at distal nodes only;
blade linear, 5–25 × 0.5–1 mm, margins entire, sometimes glandular, not ciliate, apex acute.
open panicles.
panicles.
5–10 mm.
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.
sepals deciduous, mostly lanceolate, 6–11 mm, margins not scarious, all conspicuously glandular-toothed, apex attenuate;
petals yellow-orange to salmon or brownish red, with prominent wine-colored band proximal to middle, broadly obovate, 14–18 mm;
stamens 5–6 mm;
anthers 1.5–2.5 mm;
staminodia absent;
styles connate nearly to apex, 7–9.5 mm;
stigmas capitate.
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.
ovoid, 4 × 3 mm, apex obtuse, dehiscing into 5, 2-seeded segments, segment persistence unknown, apex blunt or subacute, minutely apiculate, false septa complete, proximal part membranaceous, not terminating in loose fringe, distal part cartilaginous, margins not ciliate.
1.5–3 × 0.9–1.3 mm.
3 × 1.2–1.3 mm.
= 30.
= 30.
Linum puberulum
Linum elongatum
Corollas of Linum puberulum are broadly bowl-shaped. The filaments and styles are pale pink; the stigmas are dark maroon. The pollen is bright yellow; on herbarium specimens, the anthers are golden yellow to orangish yellow, drying darker. In some flowers of L. puberulum, the styles seem to be eccentric. C. M. Rogers (1968) noted that L. puberulum is the only hairy species of Linum in western North America with united styles; its gray indument and complete false septa differentiate it from L. vernale, which is glabrous and has incomplete false septa. Linum puberulum is fairly common in the Rocky Mountain foothills and high plains; it occurs in the mountains in the eastern Mojave Desert.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The stems of Linum elongatum are ribbed. In the flora area, it occurs in southern Texas, especially along the Rio Grande, and in south central Texas. The yellow-orange to salmon or brownish red petals with the distinctive wine-colored band proximal to the middle, brick red anthers, and wine-colored stigmas make the flowers of L. elongatum striking.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
SW CO Wildflowers
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
