200 LIXACEAE. 



late, sometimes filiate or glandular-margined. Sepals 5, all, or only the inner 

 ones, with gland-tipped teeth. Petals 5, yellow or white, unappendaged but 

 sometimes pubescent within. Stamens 5; filaments united at the base, the free 

 portions^ dilated at the base, without staminodia, or with a short staminodium in 

 each sinus. Gynoecium 5-carpellary, or rarely 2-carpellary ; styles filiform, 

 distinct or united; stigmas distinct, capitate. Capsule 5-celled, or rarely 

 2-eelled and with firm septa, or completely or incompletely 10-celled by false 

 septa, the .carpels not ribbed on the back. Seeds flattened, often lunate. 

 [Greek, referring to the medicinal qualities of some of the species.] About 

 70 species of wide geographic distribution. Type species: Linum catharti- 

 cum L. 



Staminodia wanting. 1. C- Curtissii. 



Staminodia present. 



Androecium pubescent or ciliate. 



Stem and leaves pubescent ; annual. 2. C. corallicola. 



Stem and leaves glabrous. 



Staminodia lanceolate: capsules ovoid; perennial. 3. C. bahamense. 



Staminodia deltoid: capsules spheroidal; annual. 4. ''. Bracei. 



Androecium glabrous ; leaves ciliate ; perennial. 5. C. lignosum. 



1. Cathartolinum Curtissii Small, N. A. Fl. 25: 72. 1907. 



Linum Curtissii Small, Bull. N. Y. Bot. Gard. 3: 424. 1905. 



Annual; glabrous; stems solitary, 5 dm. high or less, simple or corymbosely 

 branched above. Leaves thickish, erect or ascending, the lower opposite or 

 alternate, oblanceolate or spatulate, 1.5 cm. long or less, the upper all alternate, 

 linear, acute or acuminate; bracts entire; outer sepals ovate, acute or acumi- 

 nate, 2.5-3 mm. long, usually with a few glandular teeth; inner sepals ovate, 

 rather broader than the outer, copiously glandular-toothed; petals yellow; stami- 

 nodia none; capsules subglobose, about 2.5 mm. thick. 



Borders of brackish marshes and in palmetto-lands, New Providence : Florida. 

 Ccrtiss' Flax. 



2. Cathartolinum corallicola Small, N". A. Fl. 25: 74. 1907. 



Annual; stem sparingly branched above, minutely hirsute, 2-4 dm. high. 

 Leaves oblong to linear, 6-12 mm. long, alternate or the lower opposite, distant, 

 rather thin, acute or acuminate, finely pubescent, glandular-ciliate ; bracts 

 lanceolate to subulate, closely glandular-ciliate ; outer sepals oblong-ovate, 5 

 mm. long, glandular-toothed, pubescent, the inner similar, slightly broader and 

 shorter; filaments pubescent below the middle; staminodia deltoid, ciliate; 

 petals yellow; styles distinct; capsules ovoid, about 2 mm. long, much shorter 

 than the sepals. 



Rocky pine-barrens, Andros, at Mastic Point. Endemic. Rock Flax. 



3. Cathartolinum bahamense (Northrop) Small, N. A. Fl. 25: 75. 1907. 



Linum bahamense Northrop, Mem. Torr. Club 12: 42. 1902. 



Perennial, glabrous and glaucous; stems ridged, corymbosely branched 

 above, 6 dm. high or less, the branches ascending. Leaves approximate, erect 

 or ascending, linear to linear-lanceolate, thick, 5-12 mm. long, acute, pale green 

 on both sides; bracts lanceolate to subulate, glandular-toothed; outer sepals 

 ovate, 3-3.5 mm. long, acute or acuminate, glandular-toothed, the inner similar, 

 acuminate, slightly shorter; petals yellow; filaments pubescent below the 

 middle; staminodia lanceolate, ciliate; styles distinct; capsules ovoid, about 

 2 mm. long. 



White-lands, pine-lands and borders of marshes, Abaco, Andros, New Provi- 

 dence and Eleuthera. Endemic. Recorded by Dolley as Linum viryinicum h. Ba- 

 hama Flax. 



