32 LINAGES. (flax FAMILY.) 



orbicular to semi-circular in outline; the lower toothed or cleft, the upper more narrowly 

 and deeply, 5 to 9-lobed or parted; the segments sparingly toothed, often linear and 

 entire; flowers in naked elongated racemes; bractlets small, lanceolate; pedicels short, 

 naked; calyx often tomentose; petals emarginate, 6 to 12 lines long, purple; carpela 

 smooth. 



2. S. humilis, Gr. Much resembling the last, but lower, and often decumbent at 

 the base; leaves smaller; flowers fewer and more scattered; calyx larger, 3 to 6 lines 

 long; carpels reticulated and pubescent. 



* * Annual. 



3. S. diploscypha, Gr. Pubescent with long spreading hairs, 1 to 2 ft. high; 

 leaves deeply 5-9-cleft with lobed segments; bractlets conspicuous, 5 to 7-parted, liispid; 

 flowers nearly sessile in close 3 to 5-flowered clusters; petals 6 to 12 lines long, broad and 

 emarginate. 



4. S. malachroides, Gr. Stout, hirsute, 3 to 6 ft. high, tufted; leaves large; flowers 

 small, white or purplish, nearly sessile in close terminal heads on the short leafy branches; 

 petals narrowly obcordate; sets of stamens indistinct. 



Oeder 14. IiINACEiE. 



A small order rexDresented and characterized by the one genus 



1. LINUM, L. Flax. 



Parts of the flower 5, except sometimes in the pistil. Filaments united at the base 

 with commonly alternating teeth. Styles 5, or sometimes only 2 or 3, distinct or united. 

 Stigmas capitate or oblong; ovary globose. Seeds twice as many as the styles. Herbs 

 with sessile entire leaves without stipules, and cymose or panicled flowers. 



§ I. Styles 5. Flowers blue. 



1. L. perenne, L. Smooth, 1 to 2h ft. high, branching above, leafy; leaves linear 

 to linear-lanceolate, 3 to IS lines long, acute; stipular glands none; flowers on slender 

 pedicels, scattered, large. 



§ 2. Styles 3; petals appendaged at base, with a tooth on each side and a third adnate 

 to the inner face of the claw. 



* Flowers yellow; pedicels short. 



2. L. . Bre"weri, Gr. Smooth, slender, 3 to 8 inches high or more, few flowered at 

 the summit; leaves linear-setaceous, 6 to 8 lines long; stipular glands conspicuous; petals 



3 or more lines long. 



* * Flowers rose-purple to white. 



3. L. congestum, Gr. Nearly smooth, excepting the calyx, about a foot high; 



