Linum imbricatum

(Rafinesque) Shinners

Field & Lab. 25: 32. 1957.

Common names: Tufted flax
Endemic
Basionym: Nezera imbricata Rafinesque New Fl. 4: 66. 1838
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 387. Mentioned on page 379.

Herbs, annual, 3–30 cm, glabrous proximally, conspicuously short hirsute distally with stout-based hairs. Stems spreading to ascending or erect, branched from base. Leaves: proximalmost opposite, middle and distal alternate, closely imbricate, proximal leaves spreading-ascending, distal strongly appressed; stipular glands absent; blade linear-lanceolate, 5–9 × 0.5–1.2 mm, margins entire, distal leaves sparsely ciliate, apex short-awned; midrib cartilaginous. Inflorescences panicles; bracts ciliate. Pedicels 2–11 mm. Flowers: sepals persistent, ovate, 4.2–6.1 mm, margins broad, purplish, scarious, prominently toothed distally, not glandular-toothed, apex conspicuously awn-shaped; petals yellow, with or without dark red base, obovate, 6.5–8 mm; stamens 5 mm; anthers 0.6–1.2 mm; staminodia absent; styles connate to within 0.3–0.8 mm of apex, 2–4.3 mm; stigmas capitate. Capsules broadly ovoid, 2.6–3 × 2.9–3.3 mm, apex rounded, dehiscing into 5, 2-seeded segments, segments persistent on plant, false septa hyaline, with cartilaginous portion conspicuously broader near base, proximal margin appressed-pilose, otherwise glabrous. Seeds 2–2.6 × 1.1–1.5 mm. 2n = 30.


Phenology: Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat: Sandy or rocky open ground.
Elevation: 0–400 m.

Discussion

Linum imbricatum stamens have red filaments and yellow pollen and anthers, a very showy combination against the broadly bowl-shaped, butter yellow corollas often with a broad, wine red base. The stems are terete proximally and strongly ribbed distally; the sepals persist even in fruit. Linum imbricatum occurs in southern Oklahoma, is scattered in Texas, and is known from one report from Acadia Parish, Louisiana.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"broader" is not a number."wider" is not a number.

... more about "Linum imbricatum"
0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br />) +
rounded +  and awn--shaped +
Nancy R. Morin +
(Rafinesque) Shinners +
Nezera imbricata +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
glandular-toothed +  and entire +
linear-lanceolate +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br />) +
0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
0.29 cm2.9 mm <br />0.0029 m <br /> (0.33 cm3.3 mm <br />0.0033 m <br />) +
divided +
Tufted flax +
La. +, Okla. +  and Tex. +
0–400 m. +
incomplete +  and complete +
adnate +  and adherent +
spheric +
Sandy or rocky open ground. +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
not glandular-toothed +  and toothed +
imbricate +  and alternate +
extrastaminal +
apical-axile +, axile +  and placentation +
not +  and articulated +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
convolute +  and imbricate +
adnate +  and adherent +
coherent +  and distinct +
obovate +
0.65 cm6.5 mm <br />0.0065 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
Flowering Apr–May. +
multiporate +  and tricolpate +
spreading-ascending +
glabrous +  and appressed-pilose +
Field & Lab. +
mucilaginous +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br />) +
lenticular +
0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
persistent +
unequal +
0.42 cm4.2 mm <br />0.0042 m <br /> (0.61 cm6.1 mm <br />0.0061 m <br />) +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (?) +
spreading +  and ascending or erect +
ridged +  and terete +
clavate +, linear +  and capitate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.43 cm4.3 mm <br />0.0043 m <br />) +
Mesyniopsis +
Linum imbricatum +
Linum sect. Linopsis +
species +
adnate +  and adherent +
hirsute +  and glabrous +
18] +, [15 +  and 13 +