Linum. | LINACEAE. 537 
A small family, scattered over the whole world, the herbaceous species mainly 
temperate, the shrubby almost all tropical. Genera 10; species about 140. The 
common flax, Linum usitatissimum, so valuable from the tenacity of its fibre and its 
oily seeds, is the most important member of the family. The only New Zealand genus 
is widely distributed. 
LINUM Linn. 
Herbs, rarely shrubby at the base. Leaves usually alternate, narrow, 
quite entire ; stipules generally wanting. Flowers in panicled or racemose 
or fascicled cymes, Sepals 5, entire. Petals 5, contorted in aestivation, 
fugacious. Stamens 5, alternate with the petals, hypogynous, usually 
connate at the base, often alternating with 5 minute staminodia. Disc of 
5 glands opposite to the petals and adnate to the staminal ring. Ovary 
5-celled, with 2 ovules in each cell; cells sometimes divided into 2; 
styles 5. Capsule 5-celled, septicidally splitting into 5 2-seeded or 10 1-seeded 
cocci. Seeds compressed, albumen scanty. 
A genus of 90 species or more, mostly natives of temperate or subtropical climates. 
The single indigenous species is endemic. 
(The Australian L. marginale A. Cunn. is now plentifully naturalized in many parts 
of New Zealand, especially to the north of Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay. It can be 
distinguished from L. monogynum by its smaller size, more slender habit, and small 
pale-blue flowers.) 
1. L. monogynum forst. f. Prodr. (1786yen, 145.—A very variable 
perfectly glabrous perennial herb, sometimes woody at the base; stems 
few or many, simple or branched, erect or spreading, 6-24in. high. 
Leaves numerous, scattered, ascending, }-1 in. long, linear-oblong to linear- 
lanceolate or linear-subulate, 1-3-nerved. Flowers in terminal corymbs, 
white, often large and handsome, sometimes 1 in. diam. Sepals ovate or 
ovate-lanceolate, acute. Styles united at the base, their tips free, recurved. 
Capsule large, broadly ovoid, splitting into 10 1-seeded cocci.—A. Rich. FI. 
Nouv. Zel, (1832) 317; A. Cunn. Precur. (1839) n. 608; Hook. Bot. Mag. 
t. 3574 ; Raoul Ohorx (1846) 47; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 28; Handb. 
N.Z. Fl. (1864) 35; T. Kirk Students’ Fl, (1899) 77; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. 
Fl, (1906) 87. | 
Var. ehathamicum Cockayne in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxxiv (1902) 320. — Petals 
broadly striped or flaked with pale-blue. Mle LR 
NortH AND SoutH IsLANDS, Stewart IstaANnD, CHaTHamM IsLANDS: Abundant on 
rocky places along the coasts, and occasionally found inland, ascending to over 2000 ft. 
in both the North and South Islands, usually on the faces of cliffs. October— 
January. Var. chathamicum occurs on the mainland as well as on the Chatham 
Islands. 
Family LV. RUTACEAE. 
Trees or shrubs, very rarely herbs, plentifully supplied with pellucid 
glands filled with an aromatic or pungent essential oil. Leaves opposite 
or alternate, simple or compound, exstipulate. Flowers regular, herma- 
phrodite or rarely unisexual. Calyx 4—5-lobed or divided into as many 
free sepals, imbricate. Petals the same number, hypogynous or slightly 
perigynous, imbricate or valvate. Stamens usually free, hypogynous, as 
many or twice as many as the petals, rarely more numerous; anthers 
2-celled, versatile. Disc placed between the stamens and ovary, usually 
