74 LINENS. [Lixt-M. 



mose or fascicled cymes. Sepals 5, entire. Petals 5, fugacious. Stm/n'/i.t 

 5, hypogynous, united at the base, alternating with 5 minute staininodcs. 

 Diisk of 5 glands opposite the petals. Ovary 5-celled, cells sometimes 

 divided into 2 ; styles 5 ; ovules 2 in each principal cell. Cocci 5, 1- or 

 partially 2-celled, 2-seeded. Albumen scanty ; embryo straight. Dis- 

 TRIB. Temp, and warm regions ; species 80. ETYM. The classical name. 



1. L. cathar ticum, L. ; annual, small, leaves opposite, upper alter- 

 nate, buds nodding, petals free. Purging Flax. 



Heaths and pastures ; ascends to 2,400 ft. in the Highlands ; fl. June-Sept. 

 Glabrous, glaucous, 210 in., very slender. Leaves linear- oblong. Flmri r.< 

 fa-\ in. <liam., white. Petals oblong, acute or obtuse. DISTRIB. Europe 

 (Arctic), Canaries, W. Asia to Persia. 



2. Ii. peren'ne, L. ; perennial, leaves alternate narrow linear-lanceolate 

 acute, sepals obovate obtuse glabrous 3-5-nerved, petals free. 



Chalky soils, rather rare, from Durham to Essex ; fl. June-July. Glabrous. 

 Stems many, 1-2 ft., wiry, very slender. Leaves -% in. Cymes few- 

 flowered, racemose, flowers 1 in. broad, bright blue. Sepals obovate, 

 3 inner broader, quite entire. DISTRIB. Mid. and S. Europe, W. Asia to 

 India. 



3. Ii. angustifo'lium, L. ; annual or perennial, leaves alternate 

 narrow linear- lanceolate, outer sepals ovate acuminate, inner ciliate 

 3-nerved. 



From Lancashire southwards ; Ireland rare ; fl. May-Sept. Glabrous, glau- 

 cous. Stems 1-2 ft. ; branches few, divaricate. Leaves as in L. pcrenm, 

 but fewer and smaller. Cymes few-flowered. Flowers J-J in. diam., pale 

 lilac-blue. DISTRIB. W. and S. Europe, from France to Greece, N. Africa, 

 W.Asia. 

 L. USITATIS'SIMUM, L. ; annual, leaves alternate linear-lanceolate, sepals 



ovate acuminate ciliate 3-nerved, petals crenulate. Common Flax. 



An escape of flax fields ; fl. June-July. Larger than any of the preceding. 

 Stem solitary, corymbosely branched above. Ci/mes broad, many-flowered. 

 DISTRIB. Wherever flax is cultivated for oil or' fibre. 



2. RADIOLA, Gmelin. ALL-SEED. 

 A minute, annual herb, with filiform many times forked branches. Leaves 



opposite, exstipulate. Flowers in corymbose cymes. Sepals 4, 2-4-toothed. 



Petals 4, fugacious. Stamens 4, nearly free, with minute staminodes or 0. 



Disk glands inconspicuous. Ovary 4-celled ; cells divided into 2 ; styles 



4 ; ovules 2 in each cell. Capsule of 4 nearly 2-celled 2-seeded divisible 



cocci. Seeds exalbuminous. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia. 



ETYM. radius, from the rayed ramification. 



1. R. Millegra'na, Sm.; leaves ovate acute 3-5-nerved. 



Gravelly and sandy damp places, uncommon, but widely diffused from the 

 Orkneys to Cornwall, and in Ireland; fl. July- Aug. Stem 1-4 in. /,<,-,* 

 ,yi in-> kessile, rather succulent. Flowers axillary and in the forks, most 

 minute ; peduncles short, erect. Sepals united below, as long as the oblong 

 petals. 



