Linum lewisii | |
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In Elena Gallegos Picnic Area, Albuquerque, NM | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Linaceae |
Genus: | Linum |
Species: | L. lewisii |
Binomial name | |
Linum lewisii | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Linum lewisii (Linum perenne var. lewisii) (Lewis flax, blue flax or prairie flax) is a perennial 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. [2] It grows on ridges and dry slopes, from sea level in the north up to 11,000 feet (3,400 metres) in the Sierra Nevada. [3] [4] [5]
It is a slender herbaceous plant growing to 80 centimetres (31+1⁄2 inches) tall, with spirally arranged narrow lanceolate leaves 1–2 cm (1⁄2–3⁄4 in) long. The flowers are pale blue or lavender to white, often veined in darker blue, with five petals 1–1.5 cm long. [5] [6] [7] [8] The flowers open in the morning and fade, dropping their petals by noon on hot, sunny days. [9]
The plant was named for North American explorer Meriwether Lewis. [10]
Blue flax is a durable wildflower in garden conditions, never becoming overly aggressive towards other plants. Plants are easily grown from seed. [9] Blue flax grows well in lean soils without much organic matter and are healthier in well drained soils. [11]
Linum (flax) is a genus of approximately 200 species in the flowering plant family Linaceae. They are native to temperate and subtropical regions of the world. The genus includes the common flax, the bast fibre of which is used to produce linen and the seeds to produce linseed oil.
Linum bienne, the pale or narrowleaf flax, is a flowering plant in the genus Linum, native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe, north to England and Ireland.
Philadelphus lewisii, the Lewis' mock-orange, mock-orange, Gordon's mockorange, wild mockorange,Indian arrowwood, or syringa, is a deciduous shrub native to western North America, and is the state flower of Idaho.
Dendromecon rigida, also called bush poppy or tree poppy, is a shrub or small tree of the Papaveraceae native to California and Baja California.
Phacelia fremontii is a flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae native to the southwestern United States. In California, its range includes the Mojave Desert, the San Joaquin Valley, the Coast Ranges, and the Sierra Nevada. It was named for John C. Frémont.
Linum perenne, the perennial flax, blue flax or lint, is a flowering plant in the family Linaceae, native to Europe, primarily in the Alps and locally in England. It has been introduced into North America, where it can be found on mountain ridges, wooded areas, and in sandy plain habitats of the sagebrush steppe, growing near sagebrush and rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus).
Coreopsis bigelovii is a species of flowering plant in the daisy or sunflower family, Asteraceae, with the common names Bigelow coreopsis and Bigelow's tickseed. It is endemic to California.
Chorispora tenella is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by several common names, including purple mustard, blue mustard, musk mustard, and crossflower. This mustard is native to parts of Eurasia but is well known in other parts of the world, particularly in temperate regions, as an introduced species and a noxious weed.
Collinsia parviflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae known by the common names maiden blue eyed Mary and small-flowered collinsia.
Erythranthe lewisii is a perennial plant in the family Phrymaceae. It is named in honor of explorer Meriwether Lewis. Together with other species in Erythranthe, it serves as a model system for studying pollinator-based reproductive isolation. It was formerly known as Mimulus lewisii.
Sambucus racemosa is a species of elderberry known by the common names red elderberry and red-berried elder.
Balsamorhiza sagittata is a North American species of flowering plant in the tribe Heliantheae of the family Asteraceae known by the common name Arrowleaf Balsamroot. It is widespread across western Canada and much of the western United States.
Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus is a species of shrub in the family Asteraceae of the Americas known by the common names yellow rabbitbrush and green rabbitbrush.
Clarkia biloba is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name twolobe clarkia and two lobed clarkia.
Clarkia rostrata is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name beaked clarkia.
Penstemon speciosus is a species of penstemon known by the common name royal penstemon of western North America.
Thelypodium laciniatum is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family known by the common name cutleaf thelypody. It is native to western North America, particularly the Great Basin and surrounding plateau and foothill habitat, where it grows on dry rocky cliffs and hillsides in sagebrush and scrub, usually below 2,400 metres (8,000 ft) elevation.
Calochortus westonii, common name Shirley Meadow star-tulip, is a rare endemic plant known only from the Greenhorn Mountains range of the southern Sierra Nevada, within Kern and Tulare Counties, California.
Linum pratense, commonly called meadow flax, is a species of flowering plant in the flax family (Linaceae). It is native to the United States, where it is found in the south-central and southwestern regions of the country. Its natural habitat is in dry, open prairies over calcareous or sandy soil. It can be found in both intact and disturbed communities.