Linum rupestre |
Linum bienne |
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rock flax |
flax, narrow-leaf flax, pale flax |
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Habit | Herbs, perennial, 20–75 cm, glabrous or rarely sparsely hairy proximally. | Herbs, biennial or short-lived perennial (flowering 1st year), 6–60 cm, glabrous. |
Stems | erect, branched at base and in inflorescence. |
erect, usually branched from near base and in inflorescence. |
Leaves | opposite near base or alternate throughout, appressed-ascending; stipular glands present; blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 8–20 × 0.5–2.1 mm, margins entire or with scattered minute marginal glands, not ciliate, apex acute; 1-nerved. |
blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 5–25 × 1–1.5 mm. |
Inflorescences | panicles, with ascending to spreading branches. |
open panicles. |
Pedicels | 0–3 mm. |
10–25 mm. |
Flowers | sepals persistent, lanceolate to ovate, 2.5–5 mm, margins of inner sepals narrowly scarious, conspicuously glandular-toothed, apex acute or acuminate; petals lemon yellow, oblanceolate or narrowly obcordate, 7–11 mm; stamens 2–8 mm; anthers 0.5–1 mm; staminodia present; styles distinct, 3–6.5 mm; stigmas capitate. |
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 | ovoid, 2–3 × 2–2.5 mm, apex sharp-pointed, dehiscing readily into 10, 1-seeded segments, segments falling freely, false septa incomplete, false and true septa margins ciliate. |
broadly ovate to subglobose, 4–6 × 4–6 mm, apex very sharp-pointed, segments ± persistent on plant, margins ciliate. |
Seeds | 1.2–1.9 × 0.7–1.1 mm. |
2.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm. |
2n | = 36. |
= 30. |
Linum rupestre |
Linum bienne |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Aug. | Flowering Mar–Aug. |
Habitat | Sandy soils, rocky slopes and ledges, often on limestone. | Grasslands, woodlands, disturbed places. |
Elevation | 150–1500 m. (500–4900 ft.) | 0–1900 m. (0–6200 ft.) |
Distribution |
NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León); Central America (Guatemala)
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CA; OR; PA; BC; Europe; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America (Argentina, Chile), Pacific Islands (New Zealand)]
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Discussion | Linum rupestre has narrowly funnelform corollas and yellow stamens and styles. The anthers and stigmas are held closely adjacent at the mouth of the corolla tube, below the broad, spreading limbs. The species occurs from southeastern New Mexico and central Texas to Guatemala. It often grows with L. schiedeanum in Texas and Mexico. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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. 381. | FNA vol. 12, p. 374. |
Parent taxa | Linaceae > Linum > sect. Linopsis | Linaceae > Linum > sect. Linum |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | L. angustifolium | |
Name authority | Engelmann ex A. Gray: Boston J. Nat. Hist. 6: 232. (1850) | Miller: Gard. Dict. ed. 8, Linum no. 8. (1768) |
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