230 Polygalaceae 



same number and alternate with them ; filaments mona- 

 delphous at the base ; anthers versatile, 2-celled. Ovary 

 1, 2-5-celled or falsely 4-10-celled. Styles 2-5. Fruit 

 capsular. Seeds 1-2 in each cell, oily ; endosperm little 

 or none ; embryo straight. 



1. LINUM L. FLAX or LINSEED. 



Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes woody at the 

 base, with alternate or opposite, rarely whorled, sessile 

 leaves, and perfect flowers. Inflorescence axillary or 

 paniculate. Stipules a pair of glands or wanting. 

 Sepals 5. Petals 5, fugaceous. Stamens 5, sometimes 

 with interspersed staminodia. Ovary 4-5-celled or 

 falsely 8-lOjcelled ; ovules 2 to each cell. Capsule 

 5-10-valved. 



1. It. usitatissmum L. Annual; often tufted, erect, branching 

 above, 3-5 dm. high, glabrous and somewhat glaucous ; leaves 

 alternate, 3-nerved, lanceolate, 1-4 cm. long, 2-6 mm. wide; 

 stipules none; inflorescence a terminal cymose leafy panicle; 

 flowers blue, 12-16 mm. broad, on slender pedicels ; sepals ovate, 

 acuminate, the inner ones ciliate and 3-ribbed ; petals obcuneate, 

 crenulate, twice the length of the sepals ; capsule ovoid-conic, 

 6-8 mm. long, indehiscent ; seeds compressed. 



Occasional along streets about Los Angeles. 



Family 46. POLYGALACEAE. MILKWORT FAMILY. 



Herbs or shrubs with alternate, opposite or whorled, 

 exstipulate leaves and racemose, spicate or solitary and 

 axillary flowers. Pedicels generally, 2-bracted at base. 

 Flowers perfect, irregular. Sepals 5. Petals 3 or 5 ? 

 hypogynous, more or less unite'd into a tube, the lower 

 ones often crested. Stamens generally 8, united in 1 or 

 2 sets. Ovary 2-celled ; styles simple ; stigma curved, 

 dilated or lobed ; ovules 1 in each cell, anatropous. 



