70 



WEEDS AXD USEFUL PLANTS. 



ncE of 2-3 pairs, with a terminal odd one. Flowers pale violet-purple or lilac-colored 

 Dn'pe with a soft yellowish pulp, and an obtusely angular nut. 

 Cultivated. Native of Syria, Persia, and the far East. J^i. April, i^'r. Sept. -Oct, 



Obs. This tree has been introduced into the Southern States as an 

 ornamental shade tree, and is now perfectly naturalized there and west 

 to Arkansas. It will not endure the winters of Pennsylvania. The 

 most northern point at which I have seen trees of any considerable size, 

 was Norfolk, Yirginia, and even there they are sometimes killed by frost. 

 The bark of the root is reputed to be a good vermifuge. In the south 

 of Europe, the nuts are often used for beads ; whence one of its English 

 and French names. 



Order XIII. LINA'CEvE. (Flax Family.) 



Herbs with alternate or opposite leaves, without stipules, and regular hypogynous flowers, 

 with all the parts in fives. Calyx imbricated and petals convolute in the bud. Stamens 

 united at the base into a ring. Capsule globose, with twice as many 1-seeded cells as 

 there are styles. 



An order pretty much limited to the important genus which is its type. 



1. LI'NUM, L. Flax. 



[The classical name for the plant.] 



Capsule of 5 united carpels, each 2-seeded, but divided into 2 single- 

 seeded cells by a false partition, projecting from the back of the carpels. 



1. L. usiTATis'siMUM, L. Leavcs alternate, 

 lance-linear, very acute ; flowers on long 

 pedicels ; capsules globose, mucronate. 

 Most Useful (or common) Linum. Flax. 

 Fr. Lin. Germ. Gemeiner Flachs. Span. 

 Lino. 



Root annual. Stevi 2-3 feet high, slender, terete, 

 smooth, corymbosely branched at summit. Leaves an 

 inch to an inch and a half long. Petals rather large, 

 blue, often with a tinge of purple, very caducous. Seeds 

 lance-ovate, smooth and shining. 



Cultivated, and occasionally spontaneous in cultivated 

 grounds. Native of Europe. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



Obs. This valuable plant — once considered 

 so indispensable among the crops of our 

 farmers — is now but little cultivated. I have 

 not seen a flax-patch for a number of years : 

 whereas, in the "good old times" — before 

 Spinning-wheels were superseded by Pianos — 

 every rural family cultivated and manufac- 

 tured as much flax as was required for do- 

 mestic purposes. But now, the Cotton-plant 

 48 of the South has nearly banished the Flax- 



plant from the Middle and Northern States. 

 Nor is the revolution thus effected a subject of regret, with the farmer. 



Fig. 48. Flax (Linum usitatissimum), reduced, 



I . 



