130 BRITISH BOTANY. 



3-4, free or united at the base. Stigmas capitate or linear. 

 Fruit capsular, roundish, surrounded by the calyx and the persis- 

 tent stamens, 5-celled, rarely S-^-celled, with two seeds in each, 

 each cell separating into two one-seeded cells, which are either 

 partially or completely divided. Seeds compressed, inverted 

 (suspended) . Embryo straight. Radicle towards the hilum. 



SYNOPSIS OP THE GENEEA. 



LiNTJM. — Sepals, petals, and stamens 5 respectively, 

 Rajjiola. — Sepals, petals, and stamens 4. 



LiNUM, Lin. — Annual or perennial herbaceous plants, with 

 linear scattered leaves (rarely opposite), and blue, white, or yel- 

 low flowers. Sepals 5, free, entire. Petals 5. Stamens 5. Styles 

 5, rarely 3. Capsule roundish, consisting of 5, rarely three two- 

 seeded cells, which are subsequently divided by an incomplete 

 partition into two one-seeded cells. 



Sect. I. Leaves scattered. 



L. angustifolium, Huds. Narrow-leaved Pale Flax. — e.b. 

 381. l.b.s. 201. 



A. 7. C. 15. Lat. 50-55°. Alt. 0-100? yds. Tern. 52-48°. 



Stems several, erect, much branched, leafy. Leaves lanceolate 

 (linear-lanceolate) . Flowers on rather long, pendulous pedicels. 

 Sepals ovate, abruptly pointed, the interior bordered with a sca- 

 rious margin and fringe, the outer without a fringe. Petals pale 

 blue. Anthers nearly orbicular. Capsule equal to the sepals 

 (calyx) . 



Calcareous and cretaceous places. Perennial ; July-Sept. 



L. usitatissimum, Lin. Common Flax. — e.b. 1357. l.b.s. 

 199. Alien. 



Boot annual, slender. Stem erect, slender, simple, branched 

 near the top, leafy. Leaves linear, flat, with an inconspicuous 

 nerve. Sepals ovate, acuminate, 3-nerved. Petals rounded and 

 crenulate at the margin, thrice as long as the sepals. Anthers 

 sagittate. Capsule globular-acuminate. 



Scarcely naturalized, although of frequent occurrence on rub- 

 bish, accompanied with Hemp, Canary Grass, and other plants 

 of foreign origin. Cultivated. Annual ; June-Sept. 



Ii. perenne, Lin. Perennial Blue Flax. — e.b. 40. l.b.s. 200. 

 A. 5. C. 8. Lat. 51-55°. Alt. 0-100 yds. Tem. 50?-47°. 



Stems numerous, ascending or erect, often simple, leafy. Leaves 



