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FNA | Family List | FNA Vol. 12 | Linaceae

2a. Linum Linnaeus sect. Linum

Herbs, annual, biennial, or perennial. Stems usually terete (ridged in L. grandiflorum). Leaves alternate; stipular glands absent; blade margins entire, not glandular-toothed. Flowers homostylous or heterostylous; sepals persistent, margins scarious, entire, not glandular-toothed; petals usually blue or red to maroon, rarely white; staminodia present or absent; styles distinct, connate basally or to midlength; stigmas capitate, clavate, or linear. Capsules dehiscing into 10, 1-seeded segments; false septa incomplete. Pollen tricolpate.

Species ca. 50 (6 in the flora): North America, Mexico, Eurasia, n Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia; introduced in s South America.

SELECTED REFERENCE Mosquin, T. 1971. Biosystematic studies in the North American species of Linum, section Adenolinum (Linaceae). Canad. J. Bot. 49: 1379–1388.


1 Petals bright red to maroon, fading to purple.   6 Linum grandiflorum
+ Petals usually blue, rarely white   (2)
       
2 (1) Stigmas linear or clavate; margins of inner sepals minutely ciliate   (3)
+ Stigmas capitate or ellipsoid-capitate, margins of inner sepals glabrous   (4)
       
3 (2) Annuals; petals 10–15 mm; capsules 6–10 mm, apices rounded; seeds 4–6 mm.   1 Linum usitatissimum
+ Biennials or short-lived perennials; petals 6–10 mm; capsules 4–6 mm, apices very sharp-pointed; seeds 2.5–3 mm.   2 Linum bienne
       
4 (2) Flowers heterostylous.   5 Linum perenne
+ Flowers homostylous   (5)
       
5 (4) Perennials; styles 2–12 mm, capsule apices acute.   3 Linum lewisii
+ Annuals; styles 1–3 mm; capsule apices obtuse.   4 Linum pratense


 

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