LINUM NODIFLORUM

Family and Genus:- See- LINACEAE/Sect. SYLLINUM

Common Names:- Shrubby flax

Homotypic Synonyms:- Xantholinum nodiflorum.

Meaning:- Linum (L) Ancient name for flax.

Nodiflorum (L) Flowering at the nodes.

General description:- A hairless annual.

Stems:-

1) 10-40 cm tall, simple or sparingly branched from the base, ridged or narrowly

winged.

Leaves:-

1) Lower, spathulate.

2) Upper, linear, 1(-3)-veined, finely semllate, with a pair of glands at the base.

Flowers:-

1) Remote, rather large, subsessile.

2) Inforescence, a lax, spreading, dichotomous cyme.

3) Sepals, 8-13 mm, linear-subulate, acuminate.

4) Petals, c. 20 mm, yellow, with long a claw.

5) Stamens and styles homostylous.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 4-5 mm, globose, ± indehiscent, with a short beak.

Key features:-

1) Leaves, alternate, with a pair of glands at the base. margins rough, finely

serrulate.

2) Stem, with narrow wings decurrent from the leaf-bases.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry rocky and stony ground in pastures, open woodland, at the edge of

cultivated fields, etc. 0-500 m.

Distribution:- S France eastwards to Cyprus and the E Med, including Crete.

Somewhat limited distribution mainly around coastal regions in E. and W. Crete.

mainly around coastal regions Not common.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Rose-Marie Uppman