Oeraniales.] 



LINACE/E. 



485 



Order CLXXXIII. LlNACEiE.— Flaxworts. 



Lineae, DC. Theorie, ed. 1. 217. (1819); Prodr. 1. 423. (1824); Endl. Gen. cclv. ; Meisner, Gen. 57. 



Diagnosis. — Geranial Exogens, with symmetrical flowers, distinct styles, carpels longer 

 than the to)nis, and seeds with little or no albumen. 



Annual or perennial plants, or even small shrubs. Leaves alternate or opposite, 

 i-arely in whorls, simple, entire, without stipules, sometimes with a pair of glands. 

 Flowers very fugitive, white, yeUow, red, or blue. 

 Sepals 3-4-5, with an imbricated aestivation, continuous 

 with the peduncle, persistent. Petals equal m number 

 to the sepals, h}-pogynous, unguiculate, \\'ith a tAA-isted 

 aestivation. Stamens equal in number to the petals, 

 and alternate with them, united at the base in a hypo- 

 gjTious ring, from which proceed httle teeth opposite 

 to the petals, indicating abortive stamens ; anthers 

 ovate, innate. Ovary Avith about as many cells as 

 sepals, seldom fewer ; styles equal in number to the 

 cells ; stigmas capitate ; ovules pendulous, anatropal. 

 Capsule generally pointed with the indurated base of 

 the styles, many-celled ; each cell completely or par- 

 tially divided in two by an impei'fect spurious dissepi- 

 ment arising from the dorsal suture ; dehiscing with 

 two valves at the apex. Seeds in each cell single, 

 compressed, inverted ; albumen 0, or in very small 

 quantity ; embryo straight, fleshy, \\ith the radicle 

 pointing towards the hilum ; cotyledons flat. 



It is remarked by De Candolle that this Order is 

 intermediate, as it were, between Cloveworts, Mallow- 

 worts, and Cranesbills. Aug. de St. Hilaire considers it 

 a mere section of the latter, from which however it is removed by its continuous stems, 

 exstipulate leaves, and imbeaked fruit. Its nearest affinity is with Oxahds, fi-om which 

 there is little to divide it except the peculiar stinicture of its carpels, whose spurious 

 dissepiments are however scarcely of ordinal importance, its simple leaves, and the 

 very small quantity of albumen found in the seeds. It is not without resemblance to 

 Waterpeppers, of which I formerly suggested that Flaxworts might be an exstipulate 

 decanit'ous form. 



Europe and the North of Africa are the principal stations of this Order, which is, 

 however, scattered more or less over most parts of the globe. Several are natives of 

 North and South America, 2 only are found in India, 1 in New Zealand, and none in 

 New Holland ; for the L. angustifohum mentioned by De Candolle as having been sent 

 him from that country, had probably, as he suggests, been introduced from Em'ope. 

 It is stated by Richardson that the most northern limit of this Order in North America 

 is 54« N. 



The tenacity of their fibre, and the mucilage of their diuretic seeds, are striking 

 characters of Flaxworts, which are also usually remarkable for the beauty of their 

 flowers. The leaves of L. catharticum are purgative. Lmum selaginoides is considered 

 in Pei-u bitter and aperient. The meal of the seeds of Linum usitatissimum is used 

 for poultices. The infusion is demulcent and emollient. The oil mixed with lime- 

 water has been a favom-ite apphcation to burns. The tenacious and delicate fibre 

 called Flax is obtained from that plant, and forms the most beautiful of om- linen fabrics. 



Fig. CCCXXXIV. 



Linum, Linn. 

 Cathartolinum, Reich. 

 Adenolinum, Reich. 



GENERA. 



I Linopsis, Reich. 



Xantholinum, Reich. 

 I Macrolinum, Reich. 



Numbers. Gen. 3. Sp. 90. 



ElatinaccK. 



Re inward tin, Dumort. 

 Cliococca, Bab. 

 Radiola, Dillen. 



Position. — Oxalidaceae. 



-LlNACEiE.- 



jWalvaccce. 



-Geraniucese. 



Fig. CCCXXXIV. -Linum perenne. 1. a single flower ; 2. the caly.x and stamens, &c. : .?. tlie sta- 

 mens, &c. without the calvx ; 4. a cross .section of the ovary : 5. a section of a seed. 



