Linum rigidum

Pursh

Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 210. 1813.

Common names: Stiffstem flax
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 391. Mentioned on page 376, 379, 380, 390, 392, 393.

Herbs, annual, 15–50 cm, glabrous throughout or puberulent near base of stem. Stems erect, branches few, fastigiate or spreading-ascending. Leaves alternate, erect; stipular glands present or absent; blade linear, 11–30 × 0.7–1.6 mm, margins entire or distally sparsely toothed, not ciliate, apex acute. Inflorescences panicles or cymes. Pedicels 4.5–9 mm. Flowers: sepals deciduous, lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, 5.5–9.5 mm, margins of inner sepals conspicuously scarious, all conspicuously glandular-toothed, apex sharply acute to acuminate; petals coppery yellow or orange, red-lined or with short pale to deep brown-red zone at base, obovate with short claw, 6–18 mm; stamens 6–8 mm; anthers 1–1.8 (–2.3) mm; staminodia absent; styles connate nearly to apex, 3–11 mm; stigmas pale, capitate. Capsules ellipsoid, 3.5–4.5 × 2.6–3.4 mm, apex obtuse, dehiscing into 5, 2-seeded segments, segments blunt or subacute, persistent on plant, false septa complete, proximal part membranaceous, not terminating in loose fringe, distal part cartilaginous, margins not ciliate. Seeds 2.6–3.6 × 0.9–1.2 mm. 2n = 30.

Distribution

V12 1044-distribution-map.jpg

Alta., Man., Sask., Ark., Colo., Ill., Iowa, Kans., Minn., Mo., Mont., N.Dak., N.Mex., Nebr., Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Wis., Wyo., n Mexico

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

The corollas of Linum rigidum are funnelform at the base, opening out into a broader bowl. The styles and stamens are yellow, although the distinct portion of the style may be slightly maroon; the stigmas are grayish or light green. The stems of L. rigidum are angled. Its capsule walls are so thin that the dark seeds can be seen through them. C. M. Rogers (1984) noted that L. australe, L. berlandieri, L. compactum, and both varieties of L. rigidum are closely related, and that there is some overlap in character expressions, not easily resolved in a dichotomous key.

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Stipular glands absent; styles 5–11 mm; stigmas light gray. Linum rigidum var. rigidum
1 Stipular glands nearly always present; styles 3–5 mm; stigmas light green. Linum rigidum var. simulans

"wider" is not a number.

... more about "Linum rigidum"
0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br /> (0.23 cm2.3 mm <br />0.0023 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
obtuse +, sharply acute +  and acuminate +
Nancy R. Morin +
Linopsis +
1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
glandular-toothed +  and entire +
awl--shaped;spatulate;awl--shaped;spatulate;obovate;oblong;elliptic;oblanceolate;lanceolate;linear-oblanceolate;linear-lanceolate;linear +
0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> (0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br />) +
spreading-ascending +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br />) +
ellipsoid +
0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br /> (0.34 cm3.4 mm <br />0.0034 m <br />) +
divided +
Stiffstem flax +
Alta. +, Man. +, Sask. +, Ark. +, Colo. +, Ill. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, Minn. +, Mo. +, Mont. +, N.Dak. +, N.Mex. +, Nebr. +, Okla. +, S.Dak. +, Tex. +, Wis. +, Wyo. +  and n Mexico +
adnate +  and adherent +
spheric +
glandular-toothed +, toothed +  and entire +
extrastaminal +
apical-axile +, axile +  and placentation +
not +  and articulated +
0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
with short pale to deep brown-red zone +  and red-lined +
convolute +  and imbricate +
adnate +  and adherent +
orange;coppery yellow +
coherent +  and distinct +
obovate +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
multiporate +  and tricolpate +
Fl. Amer. Sept. +
mucilaginous +
0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br /> (0.36 cm3.6 mm <br />0.0036 m <br />) +
lenticular +
0.09 cm0.9 mm <br />9.0e-4 m <br /> (0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br />) +
subacute +  and blunt +
deciduous +
lanceolate +  and broadly lanceolate +
unequal +
0.55 cm5.5 mm <br />0.0055 m <br /> (0.95 cm9.5 mm <br />0.0095 m <br />) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
ridged +  and terete +
clavate +, linear +  and capitate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
Mesyniopsis +
Linum rigidum +
Linum sect. Linopsis +
species +
adnate +  and adherent +
puberulent +  and glabrous +
18] +, [15 +  and 13 +
pale +  and deep brown-red +