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