Linum sulcatum |
Linum harperi |
|
---|---|---|
grooved flax, grooved yellow flax, lin à rameaux sillonnés |
Harper's flax |
|
Habit | Herbs, annual, 25–85 cm, glabrous. | Herbs, annual, 25–85 cm, glabrous. |
Stems | erect to ascending, unbranched proximally, few to many branches above middle, conspicuously sulcate. |
erect to ascending, unbranched proximally, few to many branched distal to middle. |
Leaves | proximal 0–13 pairs opposite (often fallen at anthesis), distal alternate, appressed-ascending; stipular glands usually present, very rarely absent; blade linear to narrowly lanceolate, 7–30 × 1–3 mm, margins entire, distal leaves not ciliate, apex acute to subulate; midrib prominent, marginal nerves less conspicuous. |
proximal 0–13 pairs opposite (often fallen at anthesis), distal alternate, appressed-ascending; stipular glands usually present, very rarely absent; blade of proximal leaves oblanceolate or spatulate, of distal ones linear, 7–30 × 1–3 mm, margins entire, not ciliate, apex acute to subulate; midrib prominent, marginal nerves less conspicuous. |
Inflorescences | open panicles; bracts glandular-toothed, not ciliate. |
racemelike; bracts glandular-toothed, not ciliate. |
Pedicels | 1.3–4.7 mm. |
1.3–4.7 mm. |
Flowers | sepals persistent, lanceolate, (3.1–)3.6–5(–7.3) mm, inner sepals more delicate than outer, shorter, margins not scarious, all very conspicuously glandular-toothed, apex acuminate, central and marginal veins conspicuous; petals pale yellow, obovate, 5–10 mm; stamens 3.3–5.7 mm; anthers 0.3–0.7 mm; staminodia absent; styles connate 0.2–1.8 mm at base, 2–4.5 mm; stigmas capitate. |
sepals persistent, outer sepals oblong, 2.3–3.7 mm, margins not scarious, all very coarsely, irregularly glandular-toothed (inner sepals more closely and finely toothed than outer), apex acute; petals pale yellow, obovate, 5–10 mm; stamen length unknown; anthers 0.3–0.7 mm; staminodia absent; styles connate 0.2–1.8 mm at base, 2–4.5 mm; stigmas capitate. |
Capsules | globose, 2.5–3.3 × 2.1–3 mm, apex rounded to acute, dehiscing freely into 10, sharp-pointed, 1-seeded segments; segments persistent on plant, false septa incomplete, margins prominently ciliate. |
ovoid, 2.5–3.3 × 2.1–3 mm, apex rounded to acute, dehiscing freely into 10, sharp-pointed, 1-seeded segments, segments persistent on plant, false septa incomplete, margins prominently ciliate. |
Seeds | 1.6–2.1 × 0.8–1.1 mm. |
1.6–2.1 × 0.8–1.1 mm. |
2n | = 30. |
= 30. |
Linum sulcatum |
Linum harperi |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Sep. | Flowering Jul–Aug. |
Habitat | Sandy, gravelly fields, calcareous ledges and barrens, diabase barrens, cedar glades, prairies, alvars, sometimes in open woods, interdunal flats. | Dry pine barrens, clearings in pine flatwoods, calcareous soils or limestone outcrops. |
Elevation | 0–800 m. (0–2600 ft.) | 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; CT; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WI; WV; MB; ON; QC
|
AL; FL; GA |
Discussion | Linum sulcatum and L. harperi are the only species of the genus in eastern North America with styles united from the base to the middle and all five sepals persistent and with glandular-toothed margins. In L. sulcatum, all parts of the flower are yellow and the corolla is funnelform. Dried plants of L. sulcatum are pale green. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Dried plants of Linum harperi are dark purple-dotted distally. The species occurs in the center of the Florida panhandle, southwestern Georgia, and central Alabama. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 386. | FNA vol. 12, p. 386. |
Parent taxa | Linaceae > Linum > sect. Linopsis | Linaceae > Linum > sect. Linopsis |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Cathartolinum sulcatum | Cathartolinum harperi, L. sulcatum var. harperi |
Name authority | Riddell: W. J. Med. Phys. Sci., 10. (1836) | Small: Fl. S.E. U.S. 663, 1332. (1903) |
Web links |