Ord. LINACEiE. 



HerbsB (v. frutices) integrifoliae : dicotyledonecC, hypo- 

 gynae, symmetricas, regulares, 5 - 4-merce ; asstivatione calycis 

 persistentis imbricativa, corollas 4 - S-petalas convokitiva ; 

 staminibus basi monadelphis petalis nnmero Eeqiialibiis iisque 

 alternis, saepius cum 5 alternantibus abortivis seu breviori- 

 bus ; stylis pi. m. discretis ; ovario 3 - 5-loculari, loculis 

 septo dorsali subbilocellatis 2-ovulatis ; seminibus anatropis 

 suspensis parce albuminosis ; embryone recto, cotyledonibus 

 planis. 



LiNEiE, DC. Tlieor. Elein. ed. 1. p. 89, &. Prodr. 1. p. 423. Endl. Gen. 



p. 1170. Planclion in Hook. Lend. Jour. Bot. 6. p. 588. 

 LiNACEjf:, Lindl. Introd. ed. 2. & Veg. Kingd. p. 48.5. 

 LiNE« & HuGONiACE^, Wiglit & Am. Prodr. F. Ind. Or. p. 72, 174. 



Wight, 111. t. 32 & 60. 



The Flax Family, established upon the genus Linum, with Radiola (a 

 European herb which differs little from the Flax except in its quaternary 

 flower). Dr. Planchon has recently enlarged by the addition of Hugonia, a 

 genus of Indian shrubs, and of one or two more tropical arborescent genera. 

 The light which these throw upon the affinities of the family, however, does 

 not appear to invalidate the remark of Dc Candolle, that the order is about 

 equally allied to Caryophyllaceee (Elatinaceae), Malvacess, and Gcraniacete 

 (or Oxalidaceae). The ordinal characters are sufficiently illu.stratcd by the 

 typical genus. 



The common Flax, a native of Southeastern Europe and Western Asia, 

 and from time immemorial cultivated for the use of man, is far the most im- 

 portant plant of the order, and illustrates the sensible properties which are 

 common to the whole. The delicate and tenacious fdjre of the inner bark 

 furnishes flax, the most important of all vegetable textile substances, except 

 cotton. The herbage is somewhat bitter and purgative. The seeds yield 

 by infusion a most abundant mucilage, eiTiployed as a demulcent and emol- 

 lient, and by expression a fixed oil (linseed oil), which is largely used in the 

 arts, especially as the vehicle of paints. The flowers in most species are 

 handsome. 



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