i64 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



an escape from flax-fields, being cultivated in Ireland 

 and formerly in Great Britain, as the remains of 

 many old steeping pits serve to show. The Romans 

 introduced it into this country. 



The habitat is w^aste places, where Flax may be 

 found along with other plants of a similar character, 

 such as Hemp. 



The habit is grass-like. The stems are solitary, 

 tall and erect, quite devoid of hair, branched above 

 only. The leaves are alternate, linear to lance- 

 shaped, erect, narrow, acute, entire. 



The flowers are rich blue, in broad cymes or sym- 

 podial cincinni, loosely corymbose above. The sepals 

 are inversely ovate, lance-shaped, acute, fringed with 

 hairs, three-nerved. The petals are scalloped at the 

 margin of the limb, and are inversely ovate. The 

 capsule is globular or slightly flattened, hairless within. 



The flowers bloom in July, August, and September. 

 Flax is a herbaceous annual, which varies from 1-2 ft. 

 in height. 



The flowers are much larger than in the Purging 

 Flax, but have a similar mechanism. The five 

 anther-stalks are adherent to the fleshy ring at the 

 base of the ovary, which secretes honey in five 

 glands above, flat and small, and opposite the 

 stamens. The drops increase in size, and extend 

 to the sepals. The petals are attached just above 

 the honey-glands and alternate with the stamens. 

 The petals do not touch just above the glands. 



The five anthers ripen when the stigmas do, and 



