All Topics  
Linum

 
Linum

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Linum



 
 
Linum (flax) is a genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 of about 200 species of flowering plant
Flowering plant

The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of Embryophytes. The flowering plants and the gymnosperms are the only extant groups of Spermatophyte....
s in the family Linaceae
Linaceae

The Linaceae is a family of flowering plants, mostly herbaceous or rarely woody plants, sometimes large trees in the tropics. The simple entire leaves are almost always alternate, sometimes with stipules....
, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator?the word sphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator....
. Among many other species, it includes the Common Flax
Flax

Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean region to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent....
 (L. usitatissimum), the bast fibre
Bast fibre

Bast fibre or skin fibre is plant fibre collected from the phloem or bast surrounding the stem of certain, mainly dicotyledonic, plants....
 of which is used to produce linen
Linen

Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
 and the seeds to produce linseed oil
Linseed oil

Linseed oil, also known as flax seed oil or simply flax oil, is a clear to yellowish drying oil derived from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant ....
.

The flowers are light blue or white (yellow in some species) and there is an average of 6-10 seeds per boll.

Linum species are used as food plants by the larva
Larva

A larva is a young form of animal with indirect developmental biology, going through or undergoing metamorphosis .The larva can look completely different from the adult form, for example, a caterpillar differs from a butterfly....
e of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insect that includes moths and butterfly. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterfly, skipper , and Hedylidae....
 species including Cabbage Moth
Cabbage Moth

Note: the Small White species of butterfly is commonly called a "cabbage moth" in North America.The Cabbage Moth is a common European moth of the family Noctuidae....
, The Nutmeg
Nutmeg (moth)

The Nutmeg , also known as the Clover Cutworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found throughout Europe although in the north of its range it is a summer Insect migration, not being able to survive the cold winters....
, Setaceous Hebrew Character
Setaceous Hebrew Character

The Setaceous Hebrew Character is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a common species throughout Europe.The forewings of this species are reddish brown with distinctive patterning towards the base: a black mark resembling the Hebrew language letter Nun : ? with a pale cream coloure...
 and Coleophora benedictella
Coleophora

Coleophora is a very large genus of moths of the family Coleophoridae with around 1000 described species. The genus is represented on all continents but the majority are found in the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions....
, which feeds exclusively on Linum narbonense.

Selected species






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Linum'
Start a new discussion about 'Linum'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Recent Posts









Encyclopedia


Linum (flax) is a genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 of about 200 species of flowering plant
Flowering plant

The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of Embryophytes. The flowering plants and the gymnosperms are the only extant groups of Spermatophyte....
s in the family Linaceae
Linaceae

The Linaceae is a family of flowering plants, mostly herbaceous or rarely woody plants, sometimes large trees in the tropics. The simple entire leaves are almost always alternate, sometimes with stipules....
, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator?the word sphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator....
. Among many other species, it includes the Common Flax
Flax

Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean region to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent....
 (L. usitatissimum), the bast fibre
Bast fibre

Bast fibre or skin fibre is plant fibre collected from the phloem or bast surrounding the stem of certain, mainly dicotyledonic, plants....
 of which is used to produce linen
Linen

Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
 and the seeds to produce linseed oil
Linseed oil

Linseed oil, also known as flax seed oil or simply flax oil, is a clear to yellowish drying oil derived from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant ....
.

The flowers are light blue or white (yellow in some species) and there is an average of 6-10 seeds per boll.

Linum species are used as food plants by the larva
Larva

A larva is a young form of animal with indirect developmental biology, going through or undergoing metamorphosis .The larva can look completely different from the adult form, for example, a caterpillar differs from a butterfly....
e of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insect that includes moths and butterfly. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterfly, skipper , and Hedylidae....
 species including Cabbage Moth
Cabbage Moth

Note: the Small White species of butterfly is commonly called a "cabbage moth" in North America.The Cabbage Moth is a common European moth of the family Noctuidae....
, The Nutmeg
Nutmeg (moth)

The Nutmeg , also known as the Clover Cutworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found throughout Europe although in the north of its range it is a summer Insect migration, not being able to survive the cold winters....
, Setaceous Hebrew Character
Setaceous Hebrew Character

The Setaceous Hebrew Character is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a common species throughout Europe.The forewings of this species are reddish brown with distinctive patterning towards the base: a black mark resembling the Hebrew language letter Nun : ? with a pale cream coloure...
 and Coleophora benedictella
Coleophora

Coleophora is a very large genus of moths of the family Coleophoridae with around 1000 described species. The genus is represented on all continents but the majority are found in the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions....
, which feeds exclusively on Linum narbonense.

Selected species
  • Linum austriacum
  • Linum bienne
    Linum bienne

    Linum bienne is a flowering plant in the genus Linum, native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe, north to England and Ireland....
     (syn. L. angustifolium)– Pale Flax
  • Linum catharticum
    Linum catharticum

    Linum catharticum or Fairy Flax is an herbaceous flowering plant in the genus Linum, native to central Europe and western Asia. The plant is annual and blooms in July and August....
     – Fairy Flax
  • Linum cratericola
    Linum cratericola

    Linum cratericola is a species of plant in the Linaceae family. It is Endemism to Ecuador. Category:Flora of Ecuador...
  • Linum flavum – Yellow Flax
  • Linum leoni
  • Linum lewisii
    Linum lewisii

    Linum lewisii , known as Lewis Flax, blue flax or prarie flax, is a Perennial plant flowering plant in the family Linaceae, native to western North America from Alaska south to Baja California, and from the Pacific Coast east to the Mississippi River....
  • Linum perenne
    Linum perenne

    Linum perenne , is a flowering plant in the family Linaceae, native to Europe, primarily in the Alps, but also locally in England.It is a slender herbaceous perennial plant growing to 60 cm tall, with spirally arranged narrow lanceolate leaf 1-2.5 cm long....
     – Perennial Flax
  • Linum pubescens
    Linum pubescens

    Linum pubescens is an herbaceous flowering plant in the genus Linum native to the east Mediterranean region.The plant is annual and blooms in the spring....
  • Linum suffruticosum
  • Linum tenuifolium
  • Linum usitatissimum
    Flax

    Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean region to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent....
     – Common Flax


External links

  • from Louis-Marie Herbarium (Laval University).