
FLAX FAMILY—OXALIS FAMILY 9 
and is found widely distributed in woodland and on hillsides at 4000- 
10000 ft. The plants begin flowering in June and continue throughout 
the summer. They vary greatly in size from tiny individuals an inch 
or two high, to great masses, 2 ft. or more across. Some of the species 
possess an odor like smoke, to which both the scientific and the com- 
mon names refer. 
FLAX FAMILY 
3LUE FLAX  LINUM PERENNE 
Plate 7, fig. 1 
The delicate blue flowers of the Flax open soon after sunrise, and 
the petals drop late in the morning, so that the plant is hardly notice- 
able for the rest of the day. The plants are found on the plains and 
in the foothills at 5000-10000 ft. and bloom all summer. The Blue 
Flax is grown in gardens for ornamental purposes and is cultivated 
by the Indians for the sake of its remarkably strong fibres. The 
Klamath Indians make these into string and cords which are then 
used in baskets and mats, fish nets, the meshes of snow-shoes, etc. 
General cultivation of this native species has not proven profitable, 
however, since the common flax excels it both in fibre and in seeds, 
and is commercially one of our most useful plants. 
OXALIS FAMILY 
Woop SoRREL OXALIS STRICTA 
Plate 7, fig. 2 
Children call this Wood Sorrel with yellow blossoms ‘Snake Sor- 
rel” and think it poisonous, though without reason. It blooms. all 
