Flora of North America species comparison

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Linum subteres

Linum sect. Linopsis

slenderfoot flax, sprucemont flax, Utah yellow flax
Habit Herbs, annual or perennial, 15–50 cm, glabrous and glaucous. Herbs or subshrubs, annual or perennial, rarely with woody caudex.
Stems

stiffly spreading-ascending, branched at base and distal to middle.

terete, ridged, or sulcate.
Leaves

alternate or proximalmost opposite, crowded at base, appressed-ascending;

stipular glands absent;

blade oblanceolate to lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 8–17 × 1.2–2.3 mm, margins entire, not ciliate, apex apiculate.

alternate, opposite, or whorled;

stipular glands present or absent;

blade margins entire or glandular-toothed, sometimes ciliate.
Inflorescences

few-flowered racemes.

Pedicels

(5–)20–30(–60) mm.

Flowers

sepals persistent, lanceolate to lance-ovate, 4.5–7 mm, margins narrowly scarious, inner sepals conspicuously toothed, outer ones very coarsely glandular-toothed, sometimes sparsely so, apex acuminate or narrowly acute;

petals lemon yellow, obovate, 9–15 mm;

stamens 5–7 mm;

anthers 1–2 mm;

staminodia absent;

styles connate to within 0.8–3 mm of apex, 5.7–9 mm;

stigmas capitate.

homostylous;

sepals persistent or deciduous, margins scarious or not, glandular-toothed or not;

petals yellow, sometimes with maroon at base;

staminodia present or absent;

styles distinct or connate nearly to apex;

stigmas usually capitate, rarely linear.
Capsules

ovoid (distinctly longer than broad), 3.5–4.6 × 2.5–3.1 mm, apex sharp-pointed, dehiscing completely into 5, 2-seeded segments (very easily crushed), segments persistent on plant, false septa incomplete, proximal margins terminating in loose fringe, cartilaginous plates at base of segments poorly developed.

dehiscing into 10, 1-seeded segments or 5, 2-seeded segments;

false septa incomplete to complete.
Seeds

2.5–3 × 0.9–1.2 mm.

Pollen

tricolpate or multiporate.
2n

= 30.

Linum subteres

Linum sect. Linopsis
Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Sandy soils, clay, sagebrush and pinyon-juniper zones.
Elevation 1300–2200 m. (4300–7200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; NV; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Nearly worldwide
Discussion

Linum subteres is most closely related to L. vernale; it has lemon yellow petals, rather than orange to salmon-colored with a maroon base, and relatively thick, crowded, broad basal leaves (C. M. Rogers 1984). Leaves on the proximal half of each stem are closely spaced and imbricate; distal branches and inflorescence are widely spaced and subtended by closely appressed, relatively long, narrow leaves or bracts, giving the upper part of the plant a leafless look.

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

Species ca. 85 (30 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Styles distinct.
→ 2
2. Stigmas linear [subsect. Halolinum].
L. trigynum
2. Stigmas capitate [subsect. Linopsis].
→ 3
3. Stipular glands present [ser. Linopsis].
→ 4
4. Proximal leaves in whorls of 4.
L. schiedeanum
4. Proximal leaves opposite or alternate.
→ 5
5. Styles 2–3 mm; petals 4–6.5 mm; Florida.
L. arenicola
5. Styles 3–6.5 mm; petals 7–11 mm; New Mexico, Texas.
L. rupestre
3. Stipular glands absent.
→ 6
6. False septa incomplete, proximal margins ciliate.
→ 7
7. Capsules turbinate, 2–3 mm; anthers 0.5–1 mm; c, e United States [ser. Virginianum (in part)].
L. intercursum
7. Capsules triangular-ovoid to broadly ovoid or ovoid-pyriform, 2.3–4 mm; anthers 1–2.5 mm; w United States [ser. Neomexicana].
→ 8
8. Annuals, 15–60 cm; inflorescences thyrses; styles 1.5–3 mm; capsule apices obtuse.
L. neomexicanum
8. Perennials, 5–30 cm; inflorescences panicles or thyrses; styles 4–7 mm; capsule apices pointed.
L. kingii
6. False septa nearly complete, proximal margins sparsely or not ciliate [ser. Virginianum (in part)].
→ 9
9. Capsules 1.3–2.3 mm, depressed-globose (broader than long) or globose, apices depressed.
→ 10
10. Margins of inner sepals usually glandular-toothed, rarely entire; mature capsule segments usually persistent on plant.
L. medium
10. Margins of inner sepals eglandular or with a few small sessile glands; mature capsule segments falling freely.
→ 11
11. Inflorescences corymbs; pedicels 1–10 mm; carpels flattened or ± concave abaxially.
L. virginianum
11. Inflorescences panicles; pedicels 0–4 mm; carpels convex abaxially.
L. striatum
9. Capsules 2–3.9 mm, either pyriform to ovoid or subglobose, apices abruptly short-pointed, obtuse, or 5-apiculate.
→ 12
12. Leaves mostly opposite; capsules subglobose, apices abruptly short-pointed.
L. westii
12. Leaves: proximal usually opposite, distal alternate, rarely all alternate; capsules pyriform to ovoid, apices obtuse or minutely 5-apiculate.
→ 13
13. Margins of inner sepals entire; capsules 3.4–3.9 mm; seeds 2.8–3 mm.
L. macrocarpum
13. Margins of inner sepals glandular-toothed; capsules 2–3.4 mm; seeds 1.6–2.5 mm.
L. floridanum
1. Styles connate [subsect. Rigida].
→ 14
14. Capsules dehiscing into 10, 1-seeded segments; sepals persistent [ser. Sulcata].
→ 15
15. Sepals (3.1–)3.6–5(–7.3) mm, apices acuminate.
L. sulcatum
15. Sepals 2.3–3.7 mm, apices acute.
L. harperi
14. Capsules dehiscing into 5, 2-seeded segments; sepals deciduous or persistent [ser. Rigida].
→ 16
16. Sepal margins not glandular-toothed.
→ 17
17. Distal leaves and bracts not ciliate; capsule false septa entirely hyaline, or with cartilaginous portion very narrow, uniform, distal.
L. hudsonioides
17. Distal leaves and bracts sparsely ciliate; capsule false septa with cartilaginous portion conspicuously broader near base.
L. imbricatum
16. Sepal margins (some or all) glandular-toothed.
→ 18
18. Outer sepals ovate or obovate, margins undulate or crenate, with sessile gland near summit of each crenation.
L. alatum
18. Outer sepals linear, linear-lanceolate, lanceolate, or narrowly ovate, margins glandular-toothed.
→ 19
19. False septa incomplete, proximal margins terminating in loose fringe; sepals persistent.
→ 20
20. Styles connate to within 0.8–3 mm of apex; pedicels (5–)20–30(–60) mm; stipular glands absent.
L. subteres
20. Styles connate to within 0.2 mm of apex; pedicels 2–12 mm; stipular glands usually present.
L. vernale
19. False septa complete, proximal margins not terminating in loose fringe; sepals usually deciduous.
→ 21
21. Plants gray-puberulent throughout or puberulent or glabrescent in proximal 1/3.
→ 22
22. Herbs, annual or short-lived perennial, gray-puberulent throughout.
L. puberulum
22. Subshrubs, puberulent or glabrescent in proximal 1/3, otherwise glabrous.
L. allredii
21. Plants glabrous, glabrate, scabrous, or puberulent or hirsutulous at base.
→ 23
23. Sepals linear-lanceolate.
→ 24
24. Petals obovate; stamens 5–7 mm; styles 4.5–7 mm.
L. aristatum
24. Petals obcordate; stamens 4–5 mm; styles 3–4 mm.
L. lundellii
23. Sepals lanceolate to narrowly ovate.
→ 25
25. Stipular glands usually absent.
→ 26
26. Styles 2.5–4 mm, petals 6–11 mm.
L. compactum
26. Styles 3–11 mm, petals 10–18 mm.
→ 27
27. Petals coppery yellow or orange, red-lined or with short pale to deep brown-red zone at base; styles 5–11 mm; sepal apices sharply acute to acuminate; w, c North America.
L. rigidum
27. Petals orange-yellow throughout; styles 4–6 mm; sepal apices short-awned; s Florida.
L. carteri
25. Stipular glands usually present at least at some nodes.
→ 28
28. Styles 6–9.5 mm.
→ 29
29. Petals with prominent wine-colored band proximal to middle.
L. elongatum
29. Petals reddish below middle.
L. berlandieri
28. Styles 2–6 mm.
→ 30
30. Sepal apices aristate; petals yellow to yellow-orange throughout.
L. australe
30. Sepal apices acute to acuminate or short-awned; petals yellow to orange, sometimes with reddish base.
→ 31
31. Sepal apices short-awned; s Florida.
L. carteri
31. Sepal apices acute to acuminate; c United States.
→ 32
32. Stamens 4–5 mm.
L. lundellii
32. Stamens 6–8 mm.
L. rigidum
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 387. FNA vol. 12, p. 378.
Parent taxa Linaceae > Linum > sect. Linopsis Linaceae > Linum
Sibling taxa
L. alatum, L. allredii, L. arenicola, L. aristatum, L. australe, L. berlandieri, L. bienne, 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. sulcatum, L. trigynum, L. usitatissimum, L. vernale, L. virginianum, L. westii
Subordinate taxa
L. alatum, L. allredii, L. arenicola, L. aristatum, L. australe, L. berlandieri, L. carteri, L. compactum, L. elongatum, L. floridanum, L. harperi, L. hudsonioides, L. imbricatum, L. intercursum, L. kingii, L. lundellii, L. macrocarpum, L. medium, L. neomexicanum, L. puberulum, L. rigidum, L. rupestre, L. schiedeanum, L. striatum, L. subteres, L. sulcatum, L. trigynum, L. vernale, L. virginianum, L. westii
Synonyms L. aristatum var. subteres, L. leptopoda Linopsis, Mesyniopsis
Name authority (Trelease) H. J. P. Winkler: in H. G. A. Engler et al., Nat. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 19a: 116. (1931) (Reichenbach) Engelmann: Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 3(5): 25. (1852)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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