Linum

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Linum
Linum pubescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malpighiales Family: Linaceae Genus: Linum

Linum (flax) is a genus of approximately 200 species in the flowering plant family Linaceae, native to temperate and subtropical regions of the world. It includes the Common Flax (L. usitatissimum), the bast fibre of which is used to produce linen and the seeds to produce linseed oil.

The flowers of most species are blue or yellow, rarely red, white, or pink. There is an average of 6-10 seeds per boll.

Linum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Cabbage Moth, The Nutmeg, Setaceous Hebrew Character and Coleophora benedictella, which feeds exclusively on Linum narbonense.

Selected species

• Linum austriacum
• Linum bienne (syn. L. angustifolium)– Pale Flax
• Linum catharticum – Fairy Flax
• Linum cratericola
• Linum flavum – Yellow Flax
• Linum leoni
• Linum lewisii
• Linum perenne – Perennial Flax
• Linum pubescens
• Linum suffruticosum
• Linum tenuifolium
• Linum dolomiticum
• Linum usitatissimum – Common Flax

[edit] External links

• Jepson Manual treatment of the genus
• IPNI Query
• Linum lepagei type sheet from Louis-Marie Herbarium (Laval University).
• The Flax Council of Canada