100 LINAGES. 



ORDER LXIV— LINACEiE,— Lindl. Nat. Syst. p. 89. 



THE FLAX TRIBE. 



Annual and perennial herbs, undershrubs and shrubs, referred to 2 ge- 

 nera. According to DC. pr. and Spreng. syst., 32 species have been found 

 in Europe ; 9 in S. America and Mexico ; 6 in N. Africa ; 3 in N. America ; 

 2 in Tauria and Iberia ; 1 in Dahuria ; 1 in Siberia ; 1 in Syria ; and 1 in 

 New Zealand. The S. African forms amount to 10, {Harvey) ; and the 

 Indian ones to 5, all natives of the Peninsulas, the Khassya Mountains 

 and Nepal, and all belonging to Linum. — The common flax {Linum usita- 

 tissimum, L.) is found everywhere in the plains, though perhaps only 

 domesticated. 



" The tenacity of their fibre, and the mucilage of their diuretic seeds, are 

 striking characters of Linacese, which are also usually remarkable for the 

 beauty of their flowers." (Lindl.) 

 LiNTJM, L. (DC. pr. 1, p. 423 i—W. and A. pr. l,p. 134.) 



1. gallicum, L. {DC. I. c.) © France. Fl, small, yellow, C. S. ; fr. 

 H. S. 



2. luteolum, Bieb. (DC pr. 1, p. 424.) © Tauria- Fl. small, yellow, 

 C. S. ; fr. March. 



3. narbonense, L. {DC. pr. \, p. 426.) © Spain, S. France, Italy. Fl. 

 smallish, blue, C. S. 



4. usitatissimum, L. {DC. I. c. ; — Roxh. fl. ind. 2. p. 110 ; — W. and A. 

 pr. 1, p. 134;—/. Grah. Cat. B. pi. p. 33 ;— jB. B. 19, t. 1357.) 

 Common Flax. STf^TSTl Musina. © Europe. Fl. smallish, sky-blue ; 

 C. S. ; fr. H. S. Much cultivated in N. India for the seeds, from 

 which the natives extract the oil. 



5. angustifolium, Huds. {DC. pr. \, p. 426 -.—E. B. 6, t. 381.) % Eng- 

 land, France, Italy. Fl. small, sky-blue, C. S. ; fr. H. S. 



6. bicolor, Schousb. {DC. pr. 1, p. 428.) © Tangier. Fl. small, yellow- 

 ish, with a purple- streaked, blue eye, C. S. ; fr. H. S. 



7. catharticum, L. {DC. I. c. ;—E. B. 6, t. 382.) Purging Flax. 

 Europe. Fl. very small, yellowish-white, C. S. ; fr. H. S. 



8. tetragynum, Colebr. {B. Reg. 16, under t. 1326.) % Khassya Moun- 

 tains, Nepal. Fl. largish, sulphur- coloured, C. S. ; fr. H. S. 



9. trigynum, Roxb. (/. ind. 2, p. 110; — DC. pr. I, p. 425; — W. and 

 A. pr. \,p. 134 ;—J. Grah. Cat. B. pi. p. 34 ,—B. M. 27, t. 1100.) 

 'ftWtf <J^ Goolasruph. S Mountains of the Peninsula of India. Com- 

 monly cultivated in gardens. Fl. large, gold-coloured, C. S. ; fr. H. S, 



* L. Berendieri, Hook ; B. M. 63, t. 3480. © Texas. — L. mexicanum, 

 Humb. B. Reg. 16, t. 1326. '4. St. Rosa in Mexico. — L. arboreum, 

 L. ; B. M. 7, t. 234. S Candia.— L. flavum, L. ; B. M. 9, t. 312. 

 % Austria.— L. africanum, L. ; B. M. 12, t. 403. t. C. G. H.— 



