78 LINAGES. [ Linum. 



acuminate capsule, leaves alternate all linear or linear-lanceolate 

 very acute 3-nerved, root perennial. Br. Fl. p. 74. E. B. i. 381. 



In dry sandy, gravelly or chalky fields, pastures and waste places, on banks, by 

 roadsides and along: hedges ; very frequent, i''^ May — October. Z(.. 



E. Med. — Plentiful in fields and pastures about Bembridge. About Kyde in 

 various places, as Binslead, near Weslridge, and along the road to Ashey. Field 

 near the Ventnor hotel, Springfield. Between Sandown and Shanklin, along the 

 cliff. Field between Cliff and Hyde farms, abundantly. 



W. Med. — hhoxxt Colwell, Freshwater, and most other parts, Mr. W. D. 

 Snooke .'.'.' 



Root whitish, tapering, woody and very rigid, with mostly a few slightly 

 branched fibres. Stems numerous, or more rarely subsolitary, from the crown of 

 the root, from a span to 1, 2, or even 3 feet in length, spreading in all directions, 

 ascending or decumbent, more rarely erect, rounded, leafy, smooth and rigid, 

 hollow in the centre, more or less alternately and unequally branched towards 

 their extremities, the branches lax, spreading or divaricate. Leaves very nume- 

 rous, grayish green, alternate, quite sessile, erect or patent, all linear or linear- 

 lanceolate, very acute, their margins cartilaginous and serrulate, 3-ribbed, the 2 

 lateral ribs obscure and evanescent near the apex. Flowers very fugacious, sue. 

 cessively expanding at the summits of the branches, drooping in bud, of a dilute 

 purplish blue or lilac streaked with darker lines or veins, smaller and paler than 

 in the cultivated Flax, sometimes almost white. Peduncles solitary, terminal and 

 almost opposite the leaves, single-flowered, distant, patent or nearly erect and 

 much lengthened after blossoming. Sepals ovato-elliplical, abruptly acuminate, 

 3-nerved, with thin white borders and a cartilaginous scabrous dorsal keel, the 2 

 interior aud 1 exterior broader and longer than the 3 remaining outer ones, and 

 for the most part slightly ciliated on their upper scariose margin. Petals ^ of an 

 inch in length and about twice as long as the calyx, cuneate obovate, entire or 

 slightly emarginate and crenulate, with short, abrupt, obtuse and pellucid claws. 

 Stameiis 5, about the length of the calyx, with a trace of as many rudimentary 

 ones in the form of a tubercular prominence on the connecting expansion of the 

 5 perfect filaments and alternate with there, but placed a little above the gibbous 

 bases of these last ; anthers erect, pale blue, extrorse, with coarse globular pollen. 

 Styles 6, a little longer than the stamens, bluish ; stigmas white, linear-oblong, 

 glandulose. Capsules pale brown, subovato-globose, mucronato-acuminate, gla- 

 brous or very slightly pubescent, a little longer than the calyx, the dissepiments 

 fringed along their inner margin. Seeds yellowish brown, ovate, thin, flat and 

 highly varnished, covered with a mucilaginous pellicle, from which they are dis- 

 engaged when ripe ; some in each capsule mostly abortive. 



The more numerous, mostly ascending, diffuse and variously branched stems, 

 the still narrower leaves, the lowermost of which preserve their linear form, the 

 much smaller and paler flowers, smaller more acuminate capsules, and the lax, 

 straggling, wiry habit of the whole plant, will suffice at a glance to distinguish 

 the present species from its valuable congener. The very blunt calyx-segments, 

 and larger bright blue flowers, mark L. perenne, which may possibly be found in 

 this island, from both the foregoing. 



** Leaves opposite. Flowers white. 



3. L. catharticum, L. Purging Flax. Mill-mountain. "Leaves 

 mostly opposite oblong, stem dichotomous above, petals somewhat 

 pointed."— jBr. Fl. p. 74. E. B. t. 381. 



In dry hilly pastures, on heaths, downs and chalky banks ; very common. Fl. 

 June — October. Fr. September — November. 0. 



Herb perfectly glabrous and somewhat rigid. Root annual, whitish, slender 

 and tapering, more or less branched or nearly simple, flexuose. Stem 1 or more, 

 from 2 or 3 inches to a span high, slender and wiry, terete, mostly purplish below. 



