Linum virginianum
Linum neomexicanum
Virginia yellow flax, woodland flax, woodland yellow flax
New Mexico yellow flax
erect, branches 1–several from base, unbranched proximal to inflorescence.
erect or shortly decumbent at base, becoming erect, branched from near base.
proximal 4–10 pairs opposite, distal alternate, erect to spreading;
stipular glands absent;
blade of proximal leaves spatulate, central and distal elliptic, oblanceolate, or obovate, 15–25 × 3–7 mm, margins entire, not ciliate, apex acute to apiculate.
usually only proximalmost opposite, sometimes to midstem, distal alternate, erect to ± spreading;
stipular glands absent;
blade of proximal leaves narrowly to broadly elliptic-oblanceolate, 10–15 × 1.5–2.5 mm, margins entire, not ciliate, apex subacute to acuminate; 1-nerved.
corymbs.
slender thyrses.
1–10 mm.
1–4 mm.
sepals persistent, lanceolate-ovate, inner shorter, broader, thinner than outer, outer sepals 2–4 mm, margins not scarious, inner sepals usually with a few small, sessile glands along margin distal to middle, rarely eglandular, outer ones entire, apex acute to acuminate;
petals yellow, obovate (sometimes notched at apex), 3–5.5 mm;
stamens 1.2–3 mm;
anthers 0.5–1 mm;
staminodia absent;
styles distinct, 1–2 mm;
stigmas capitate.
sepals persistent, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, 3–5.3 mm, margins not scarious, inner ones conspicuously glandular-toothed, outer entire or very sparsely glandular-toothed, apex acute to acuminate;
petals yellow, oblanceolate, 4–7 mm;
stamens 3–5 mm;
anthers 1–1.5 mm;
staminodia absent;
styles distinct, 1.5–3 mm;
stigmas capitate.
globose, carpels flattened or ± concave abaxially, 1.3–1.8 × 2–2.5 mm, apex depressed, dehiscing freely into 10, 1-seeded segments, segments falling freely, false septa nearly complete, proximal margins usually sparsely and inconspicuously few-ciliate.
triangular-ovoid to broadly ovoid, 2.5–3.5 × 2.7–3.5 mm, apex obtuse, somewhat tardily dehiscing into 10, 1-seeded segments, segments persistent on plant, false septa incomplete, proximal margins ciliate.
1–1.5 × 0.6–0.9 mm.
2–2.5 × 1.1–1.3 mm.
= 36.
= 26.
Linum virginianum
Linum neomexicanum
Linum virginianum lacks prominent marginal teeth on the inner sepals, thus distinguishing it from L. striatum. It has a less elongate inflorescence and lacks the ribbed branchlets found in L. striatum (C. M. Rogers 1984). The corollas of L. virginianum are nearly rotate; all parts of the flower are yellow except the brownish anthers. Its capsules shatter readily and often are absent on herbarium sheets.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Within its range, Linum neomexicanum is the only species of Linum with yellow flowers and distinct styles. Its inflorescence is more slender than other species. The corollas are nearly rotate and the styles may be at nearly right angles to the flower axis, to spreading, or to ultimately ascending. J. R. McDill (2009) found that L. neomexicanum is most closely related to L. kingii.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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