282 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Linnm continued. 



racemes, sometimes loosely racemose-subcymfeform, some- 

 times in contracted fascicles or spicate heads. Leaves 

 alternate or rarely opposite, narrow, entire, one to many- 

 nerved. Linums, whether of annual or perennial duration, 

 are exceedingly ornamental and very free-flowering plants. 

 The hardy perennial species are well suited for rockwork 

 embellishment, and some of them succeed in the 

 mixed border, where the soil is well drained. In all 

 northerly parts of the country, a sheltered, warm posi- 

 tion should be afforded, to insure their safety. Propagation 

 may be effected by seeds, by cuttings, or sometimes by 

 divisions in spring. Seeds are generally produced freely, 

 and may be sown in pots, about March, and the young 

 plants afterwards transferred to the open air ; or they 

 may be sown outside, in April. Cuttings should be taken 

 in summer, when the wood is sufficiently firm without 

 being too much hardened, and inserted in a shady 

 position, under a hand glass. L. grandiflorum, one of 

 the best showy annuals in cultivation, may be raised 

 in any quantity from seeds sown, in March, where the 

 plants are intended to flower. A well-drained sandy 

 loam, with a little leaf mould or peat intermixed, may 

 bo recommended for Linums grown outside ; but they 

 are not usually fastidious regarding soil. All the under- 

 mentioned are hardy herbaceous perennials, except where 

 otherwise stated. 



L. alpinum (alpine).* fl. blue, large, few, rather corymbose ; inner 

 sepals blunt, outer ones acutish. July and August. I. linear, awl- 

 shaped, spreading, full of pellucid dots. h. 6in. Europe, 1739. 

 (S. B. F. G. 17.) 



L. angustifolium (narrow-leaved). Pale Flax. /., petals pale 

 purple, with a slight notch ; sepals acutish. July. I. linear- 

 lanceolate, acute, h. 1ft. Europe (Britain). Plant glabrous, 

 many-stemmed, rather erect. (Sy. En. B. 291.) 



FIG. 445. LINUM GRANDIFLORUM, showing Habit and detached 

 Portion of Inflorescence. 



L. arboreum (tree-like).* fl. yellow, handsome, large, few, some- 

 what capitate ; sepals acuminated. May and June. I. cuneiform, 

 obtuse, alternate, recurved, h. 1ft. Crete, &c., 1788. A 

 handsome dwarf spreading shrub, rather tender, but it will 

 thrive in a warm sunny spot in the open border ; it should be 

 sheltered by a few branches during severe winters. (B. M. 234.) 



L. austriacum (Austrian), fl. pale bluish-purple ; petals retuse ; 

 fructiferous pedicels deflexed. .June and July. I. linear or rather 

 lanceolate, acute, erecti.sh, full of pellucid dots. Branches 

 racemose. A. 1ft. to 2ft. Austria, 1775. Plant glabrous, erect. 

 (B. M. 1806.) 



L. campanulatum (bell-shape-flowered). /. yellow, corym- 

 bose. June to August. I. alternate ; lower ones rounded at the 

 apex ; middle ones furnished with a small point ; upper ones 

 obversely lanceolate, acuminate, h. 1ft. South Europe, 1795. 

 Plant scabrous at the base, glaucous. (L. B. C. 1254.) 



L. Chamissonis (Chanrisso's). A synonym of L. Macraei. 



L. flavum (yellow).* fl. transparent golden-yellow, densely and 

 numerously produced in branched heads ; sepals acuminated, 

 serrulated. June to August. I. alternate, narrow-lanceolate, 

 acute, sessile, with smooth margins, h. 1ft. to lift. Europe, 



Linnm continued. 

 1793. A very handsome plant, woody at the base ; it is not quite 



hardy in the Northern parts of England, but will wi 

 severe weather if slightly protected. (B. M. 312.) 



L. grandiflornm (large-flowered).* fl. rose-coloured, large, 

 loosely panicled ; sepals lanceolate, acute, ciliately serrated. June 

 and July. 1. linear-lanceolate, acute, erectish. h. 6in. to 12in. 

 North Africa, 1820. Hardy annual. Plant glabrous, erectish, 

 branched at the base. See Fig. 445. (B. M. 4956.) The form 

 known as rubrum has brighter-coloured flowers than the type. 



L. Macraei (MacRae's).* fl. orange ; sepals ovate, acuminated. 

 Summer. I. opposite or alternate, lanceolate, acuminated, stiff. 

 Stems shrubby at the base. h. 1ft. Chili, 1864. Greenhouse or 

 half-hardy. SYN. L. Chamissonis. (B. M. 5474.) 



L. monogynum (one-styled). (I. yellow, numerous ; sepals ovate- 

 lanceolate acute. June and July. 1. alternate, lanceolate. 

 Stem shrubby, h. 1ft. New Zealand, 1822. (B. M. 3574.) 



L. narbonense (Narbonne).* fl. of a beautiful blue, but some- 

 times white, large, disposed in sub-corymbose panicles. May to 

 July. I. alternate, distant, lanceolate-linear, very acute, and 

 rather stiff, h. 2ft. Europe, 1759. Plant glabrous, erect, rather 

 glaucous. (L. B. C. 190.) 



L. neryosum (nerved), fl. blue, large, in loose panicles ; petals 

 emarginated or pointed, crenated at the apex. June and July. 

 I. lanceolate, pointed, glabrous. Stem hairy at the base. h. 1ft. 

 to lift. Eastern Europe, 1822. 



L. perenne (perennial), fl. pale blue ; petals emarginate ; outer 

 sepals hardly mucronate, inner ones blunt. June and July. 

 1. linear, acute, erect, h. 1ft. to lift. Europe (Britain). Plant 

 glabrous, ascending. (Sy. En. B. 290.) 



L. salsoloides (Salspla-like). fl. white, with a purple centre or eye ; 

 sepals ovate, acuminated, fringed with glandular hairs in the 

 middle. June and July. I. linear-setaceous, smoothish. Stems 

 shrubby at the base, branched, and a little twisted ; branches 

 ascending, h. 1ft. South-west Europe, 1810. Hardy evergreen. 



L. sibiricum (Siberian), fl. of a beautiful blue, large ; sepals 

 oval, outer ones acutish, inner ones very blunt, h. 3ft. to 4ft. 

 Siberia, 1775. Plant glabrous, erect. (B. R. 1163.) 



L. tauricnm (Taurian).* fl. yellow, in dichotomous panicles ; 

 sepals acuminated, serrulated. June to August. I. alternate, 

 glaucous ; lower ones rather spathulate, upper ones lanceolate. 

 h. lift. Caucasus, 1818. Hardy evergreen shrub. 



L. trigynum. Sec Reinwardtia trigyna. 



FIG. 416. FLOWERING STEM OF LINUM USTTATISSIMUM. 



L. usitatlssimum (most-used). Common Flax. fl. blue, in 

 corymbose panicles ; petals rather crenated ; sepals ovate, acute. 

 June and July. I. lanceolate or linear, acute, h. lift. Europe. 

 Plant erect, glabrous. Hardy annual. See Fig. 446. (Sy. En. B.292.) 



L. viscosum (clammy). /. pale purple, rarely blue, in an erect 

 corymb. June to August. I. lanceolate, alternate and somewhat 

 opposite, and, as well as the stems, hairy, h. 1ft. to 2ft. 

 Europe, 1807. 



