Linum pratense

(Norton) Small in N. L. Britton et al.

N. Amer. Fl. 25: 69. 1907.

Common names: Meadow or Norton's flax
Endemic
Basionym: Linum lewisii var. pratense Norton Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 12: 38, plate 6. 1902 E
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 376. Mentioned on page 374.

Herbs, annual, 5–60 cm, glabrous. Stems ± spreading or ascending, or branches from base prostrate. Leaves: blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, 8–20 × 0.7–2.3 mm. Inflorescences: open panicles or racemes. Pedicels 8–25 mm. Flowers homostylous; sepals ovate, 3–5 mm, margins glabrous, apex acute; petals usually blue, rarely white, obovate, 5–14 mm; stamens 3–5 mm; anthers 0.4–1.3 mm; staminodia present; styles distinct, 1–3 mm; stigmas capitate. Capsules broadly ovate to subglobose, 4–6 mm diam., apex obtuse, segments persistent on plant, margins ciliate. Seeds 3–5 × 1.2–1.6 mm. 2n = 18.


Phenology: Flowering Mar–Jun.
Habitat: Sandy prairies, roadsides, disturbed areas, limestone.
Elevation: 1200–2000 m.

Distribution

V12 276-distribution-map.jpg

Ariz., Colo., Kans., N.Mex., Okla., Tex.

Discussion

In a study of pollination in Linum pratense, G. E. Uno (1984) observed that petals dropped soon after anthesis and the persistent sepals quickly moved inward, pressing the dehiscing anthers against the receptive stigmas. Small bees and flies were seen to visit flowers even after the petals fell. Uno noted sepals closing in both L. lewisii and L. rigidum, but in these species the stamens tend to be somewhat shorter than the styles so self-pollination was less likely.

C. M. Rogers (1984) wrote that some plants of Linum pratense intergrade with L. lewisii in areas where their ranges overlap; however, in most of its range, L. pratense is the only blue-flowered Linum, and can be distinguished from the occasional plant of L. bienne or L. usitatissimum by its lack of cilia on the inner sepals and its capitate stigmas.

Lower Taxa

None.

"wider" is not a number.

... more about "Linum pratense"
0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br /> (0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br />) +
obtuse +  and acute +
Nancy R. Morin +
(Norton) Small in N. L. Britton et al. +
Linum lewisii var. pratense +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
not glandular-toothed +
linear;linear-oblanceolate +
0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> (0.23 cm2.3 mm <br />0.0023 m <br />) +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (?) +
broadly ovate +  and subglobose +
divided +
Meadow or Norton's flax +
Ariz. +, Colo. +, Kans. +, N.Mex. +, Okla. +  and Tex. +
1200–2000 m. +
adnate +  and adherent +
spheric +
Sandy prairies, roadsides, disturbed areas, limestone. +
not glandular-toothed +
extrastaminal +
apical-axile +, axile +  and placentation +
not +  and articulated +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
convolute +  and imbricate +
adnate +  and adherent +
coherent +  and distinct +
obovate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
Flowering Mar–Jun. +
N. Amer. Fl. +
uno1984a +
mucilaginous +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
lenticular +
0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br /> (0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br />) +
persistent +
unequal +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
branched +  and unbranched +
ascending +  and spreading +
linear +, clavate +  and capitate +
distinct +
midlength +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Linum pratense +
Linum sect. Linum +
species +
adnate +  and adherent +
18] +, [15 +  and 13 +