Tas. 4956. 
LINUM GranpIFLORUM. 
Large-flowered Flax. 
Nat. Ord. Line“#.—Decanpria PENTAGYNIA. 
Gen. Char. Calyx pentaphyllus, foliolis integris. Corolle petala 5, hypogyna, 
ima basi coalita, alterna calycis foliolis opposita fertilia, basi biglandulosa, alterna 
petalis opposita ananthera, dentiformia. Filamenta complanato-subulata ; anthere 
introrsze, biloculares, longitudinaliter dehiscentes. Ovarium sessile, 3-5-loculare ; 
locuiis 2-ovulatis, semisepto dorsali verticaliter incomplete bilocellatis, v. septo 
dorsali completo 10-loculare, Zoculis 1-ovulatis. Ovuda pendula, anatropa. Styli 
3 v. 5, filiformes, liberi vel basi coaliti; stigmata capitellata v. linearia. Capsula 
subglobosa, nune 3-5-locularis, docudis septo dorsali verticaliter semi-bilocellatis, 
apice septicide 3-5-valvis, valvis semi-bifidis, loculis dispermis, nune 10-locularis 
septicide decacocca, coccis indehiscentibus, monospermis. Semina pendula, testa 
coriacea, endopleura carnosa, tumida. Hmbryonis exalbuminosi recti vel subar- 
cuati radicula supera.—Herbe vel suffrutices in temperatis totius orbis crescentes, 
inter tropicos rari; foliis alternis oppositis v. verticillatis, integerrimis ; floribus 
paniculatis v. corymbosis, luteis, ceruleis, carneis, v. albis. Endl. 
Linum grandiflorum ; annuum, e basi ramosum erectiusculum, foliis (ramorum) 
sparsis remotis ovato-lanceolatis patentibus, floribus laxe paniculatis, sepalis 
lanceolato-subulatis marginibus setoso-ciliatis, stigmatibus linearibus, pe- 
talis calyce plus quam duplo longioribus puniceis. 
Linum grandiflorum. Desf. Fl. Atl. v. 1. p. 277. t. 78. De Cand. Prodr. v. 1. 
p. 421. Spreng. Syst. Veget. v. 1. p. 962. Reem. et Schult. v. 6. p. 738. 
Planch. in Hook. Lond. Journ. of Bot. v.7. p.171. Lindl. et Paxt. Fi. 
Gard. v. 1. p. 27. f. 13 (woodcut). 
. 
Nothing but a well-coloured figure, which has never hitherto 
appeared, can give an idea of the beauty of this plant. The 
plate of Desfontaines does justice to the size of the blossom ; 
that given in the ‘Flower Garden’ is not so large as one of its 
petals. The wild state is described as having rose-coloured 
flowers : ours are, as recorded by Lindley and Paxton, “ brilliant 
crimson.” The species inhabits the north of Africa; near Mas- 
car (Desfontaines) and near Oran, according to Mr. Munby in 
our Herbarium. It has lately been introduced into European 
DECEMBER Ist, 1856. 
