928 



LINN^A 



LINUM 



cles ; corolla rose-colored or white, about K in. long, 

 fragrant. June-Aug. In N. Araer. south to Md., and 

 I'alif. in the Mts. B3. 3:230. Gn. 24, p. 177. 



Alfred Rehder. 



A. 



Iff ^i Jim, ... 



1298. Linnsea borealis (X}^). 



LINOSPADIX [^i^^VJinear spcidix). Palwdcea;. L. 

 Petrickiaua is a pinnate-leaved palm from New Guinea, 

 int. 1899 by Sander & Co., who say: "The slender, 

 alternate pinnje are sli,^htly arched. The base is netted 

 with brown fiber, small, bair-like glumes of the same 

 color being apparent on the younger fronds and leaf- 

 stalks. The young fronds are colored similarly to those 

 of Areca IJscmanni, and when developing have the 

 luster and brilliancy of new copjier." 



Linospadix contains about 4 species of dwarf, un- 

 armed palms, all from New Guinea, varying consider- 

 ably in foliage. The genus is allied to Bacularia, but 

 Bacularia has premorse leaf segments and erect anthers 

 fastened at the base, while Linospadix has acuminate 

 leaf segments and versatile anthers fastened on the 

 back. Linospadix is distinguished from Howea (which 

 see) by the stamens 0-9: pistillate fls. with G-9 stanii- 

 nodes: ovule parietal. 



Petrickiaua, Sander. Pinnae once cut from the apex 

 to a third or fourth the length of the pinna; laterally cut 

 about six-sevenths of the wa)-- from the tips of the seg- 

 ments to the rachis; premature basal Ivs. cut once from 

 the apex to half their length, the 2 lobes uncut. G.C. 

 III. 24:299.— This is a handsome pinnate-leaved palm 

 of compact growth and well furnished with foliage, at 

 least whilein a young state. In its juvenile conrlition, 

 the leaves of L. Petrickiaua are simply bifid, the 

 pinnate form gradually appearing as the plant attains 

 age. Cultural conditions suited to the needs of Calamus 

 and Diemonorops will be most likely to succeed with 

 Linospadix, and include a temperature of 70°, plenty of 

 water, and some shade throughout the year. 



W. H. Taplin and "W. M. 



LINOS'S'RIS [TAvum and 0.syW5, which genera it re- 

 sembles). CompSsik'e. One species, i. if!f/r/()r?A', Cass., 

 of Europe, is a good hardy perennial, growing 13.i-2 ft. 

 high, and bearing numerous small pale yellow heads: 

 stems strict (from a hard root), striiite, finely pubescent, 

 bearing many alternate, small, linear, entire Ivs. It is 

 an excellent late summer and fall bloomer, thriving well 

 in any good garden or border. Prop, by division. 



The genus Lynosyris is nowreferred to Aster by many 

 botanists, the above species then becoming Aster Lino- 

 sifris, Bernh. It is also known as Chrjfsocoma ruh/aris, 

 Gueld. Horticulturally, it is distinct, witli its yellow 

 heads and peculiar habit. From Aster it difl'crs techni- 

 cally in the absence of rays and in yellow Hs. l H. B 



LiNUM (classical name). Lind.cem. Flax. Temper- 

 ate-region plants of both hemispheres, of 80 or 90 spe- 

 cies, herbs or sometimes sul)shrubs. They are erect- 

 growing plants, with narrow alternate (rarely opposite) 



and mostly entire Ivs., and showy 5-petaled fls. which 

 open in the sunshine. Stamens 5 and alternate with the 

 petals, usually united at the base: ovary 1, 3-5-locuIed, 

 t)earing as many styles as locules, and ripening into a 

 dry capsule which may or may not be dehiscent. The 

 tls. are borne in terminal racemes or cymes, and, although 

 each flower may be short-lived, the continuity of bloom 

 makes the plant showy. There are two horticultural 

 sections,— the annuals and perennials. All are of easy 

 culture in an open and warm place, fully exposed to the 

 sun. Seeds of the annuals may be sown where the 

 plants are to bloom or they may be started under glass. 

 The perennials often bloom the first year from seed, and 

 seeds are often used to propagate them ; but the plants 

 may be divided. There are several native Linums, some 

 of which are small-fld., weedy plants. 



A. Plant annual : fh. red or blue. 

 B. BJoom red. 

 ^andifldmm, Desf. Flowering Flax. Figs. 1299, 

 13U0. Erect, branchy, 1-2 ft., glabrous: Ivs. many, alter- 

 nate, broadly lanceolate to oblong, sessile or nearly so: 

 fls. terminating very slender pedicels which are 1-3 in. 

 long, the obovate petals wide-spreading (fl. l-lj^ in. 

 across, and something like a single-fld. pink) and much 

 exceeding the pointed scarious-edged sepals. N. Afr. 

 B.M. 495(J. K..H. 1848:401. — Very serviceable garden an- 

 nual, and popular for its glossy bright fls. The color 

 varies in the shades of red. Var. rUbrum has bright 

 red fls. Var. kermeslnum is crimson. Jj. coccineum, 

 Hort., is a scarlet-fld. form. In a warm, sunny place, the 

 Flowering Flax makes a very satisfactory plant. It is 

 not adapted to cutting, since the fls. are not durable. 

 Will not stand frost. 



BB. Bloom blue. 

 usitatissimum, Linn. Flax. Much cult, for linseed 

 and for fiber, and running wild along railroads and in 

 fields : 2-3 ft. high, very slender-branched, glabrous: 

 Ivs. small, linear or lanceolate, acute, alternate : fls. 

 about ^^in. across, light blue, soon withering: pod large, 

 mostly exceeding the scarious-edged sepals, nearly or 

 quite indehiscent. L. htmile, Mill., also cult, and some- 



1299. Linum grandiflorum. Natural size. 



times run wild, is lower and has a dehiscent capsule; 

 it is probably only a form of the above. — Flux has been 

 cult, from time immemorial, and it is unknown in an 

 originally wild state. Some authorities consider it to be 

 a modified form of 1/. ^^t^rc)n(c. 



