215 Species in Genus Linum

July 21 – Linum
"Linum, the flax plant, defines July 21."
Linum symbolizes versatility and endurance. Like this plant, you have a remarkable ability to adapt to various situations and thrive. Your presence brings strength and value to everything you touch, much like how flax has been a cornerstone of human utility and beauty for centuries.

The Wonderful World of Linum: A Flax-cinating Journey

My name is Ferb Vu, and I’ve always been drawn to the simple elegance of flax flowers. Their delicate blooms, often in shades of blue that mirror the summer sky, possess a quiet beauty that speaks volumes. But my fascination goes beyond mere aesthetics. The genus Linum, to which flax belongs, is a treasure trove of diversity and utility, with a rich history intertwined with human civilization.

A Diverse Family

Linum, a member of the Linaceae family, boasts over 200 species. These range from the humble, yet incredibly useful, common flax (Linum usitatissimum) to lesser-known varieties like the vibrant scarlet flax (Linum grandiflorum rubrum) and the perennial golden flax (Linum flavum). This diversity is reflected not only in their appearance but also in their preferred habitats. While some species thrive in temperate meadows, others prefer the arid conditions of rocky slopes.

Here are species within the Linum genus:

1. Linum acuticarpum C.M.Rogers
2. Linum adenophyllum A.Gray
3. Linum adustum E.Mey. ex Planch.
4. Linum aethiopicum Thunb.
5. Linum africanum L.
6. Linum aksehirense Tugay & Ulukuş
7. Linum alatum (Small) H.J.P.Winkl.
8. Linum album Kotschy ex Boiss.
9. Linum allredii Sivinski & M.O.Howard
10. Linum alpinum Jacq.
11. Linum altaicum Ledeb. ex Juz.
12. Linum amurense Alef.
13. Linum anglicum Mill.
14. Linum appressum Caball.
15. Linum arboreum L.
16. Linum arenicola (Small) H.J.P.Winkl.
17. Linum aretioides Boiss.
18. Linum aristatum Engelm.
19. Linum aroanium Boiss. & Orph.
20. Linum australe A.Heller
21. Linum austriacum L.
22. Linum ayliniae Yılmaz
23. Linum bahamense Northr.
24. Linum baicalense Juz.
25. Linum basarabicum (Săvul. & Rayss) Klokov ex Juz.
26. Linum berlandieri Hook.
27. Linum betsiliense Baker
28. Linum bicarpellatum Sharsm.
29. Linum bienne Mill.
30. Linum boissieri Asch. & Sint. ex Boiss.
31. Linum brachypetalum O.Schwartz
32. Linum brevifolium A.St.-Hil. & Naudin
33. Linum brevistylum C.M.Rogers
34. Linum breweri A.Gray
35. Linum burkartii Mildner
36. Linum caespitosum Sm.
37. Linum californicum Benth.
38. Linum campanulatum L.
39. Linum capitatum Kit. ex Schult.
40. Linum cariense Boiss.
41. Linum carneum A.St.-Hil.
42. Linum carnosulum Boiss.
43. Linum carratracense (Rivas Goday & Rivas Mart.) Mart.Labarga & Muñoz Garm.
44. Linum carteri Small
45. Linum catharticum L.
46. Linum chaborasicum Mouterde
47. Linum chamissonis Schiede
48. Linum ciliatum Hayek
49. Linum clevelandii Greene
50. Linum compactum A.Nelson
51. Linum comptonii C.M.Rogers
52. Linum congestum A.Gray
53. Linum corymbiferum Desf.
54. Linum corymbulosum Rchb.
55. Linum cratericola Eliasson
56. Linum cremnophilum I.M.Johnst.
57. Linum cruciatum Planch.
58. Linum cubense Bisse
59. Linum czernjajevii Klokov
60. Linum decumbens Desf.
61. Linum densiflorum P.H.Davis
62. Linum digynum A.Gray
63. Linum doerfleri Rech.f.
64. Linum dolomiticum Borbás
65. Linum drymarioides Curran
66. Linum elegans Spruner ex Boiss.
67. Linum elongatum H.J.P.Winkl.
68. Linum emirnense Bojer
69. Linum empetrifolium (Boiss.) P.H.Davis
70. Linum erigeroides A.St.-Hil.
71. Linum ertugrulii Tugay, Bağcı & Uysal
72. Linum esterhuyseniae C.M.Rogers
73. Linum euboeum Bornm.
74. Linum extraaxillare Kit.
75. Linum filiforme Urb.
76. Linum flagellare (Small) H.J.P.Winkl.
77. Linum flavum L.
78. Linum floridanum (Planch.) Trel.
79. Linum flos-carmini Ruiz-Martin, Mart.Labarga, Jim.Mejías & Pérez-Barr.
80. Linum gaditanum Mart.Labarga & Muñoz Garm.
81. Linum goulimyi Rech.f.
82. Linum gracile Sm. ex Planch.
83. Linum grandiflorum Desf. – Plant FAQs: Linum Grandiflorum
84. Linum guatemalense Benth.
85. Linum gyaricum Vierh.
86. Linum gypsogenium G.L.Nesom
87. Linum harlingii Eliasson
88. Linum harperi Small
89. Linum hellenicum Iatroú
90. Linum heterosepalum Regel
91. Linum heterostylum C.M.Rogers
92. Linum hirsutum L.
93. Linum hologynum Rchb.
94. Linum hudsonioides Planch.
95. Linum hypericifolium Salisb.
96. Linum imbricatum (Raf.) B.D.Jacks.
97. Linum intercursum E.P.Bicknell
98. Linum iranicum Hausskn. ex Bornm.
99. Linum jimenezii Pau
100. Linum katiae Peruzzi
101. Linum kaynakiae Yılmaz
102. Linum keniense T.C.E.Fr.
103. Linum khorassanicum Joharchi & Behrooz.
104. Linum kingii S.Watson
105. Linum komarovii Juz.
106. Linum kurdicum (P.H.Davis) Naum.-Svetl.
107. Linum lasiocarpum Rose
108. Linum leonii F.W.Schultz
109. Linum leucanthum Boiss. & Spruner
110. Linum lewisii Pursh – Plant FAQs: Linum Lewisii
111. Linum littorale A.St.-Hil.
112. Linum longipes Rose
113. Linum lundellii C.M.Rogers
114. Linum macraei Benth.
115. Linum macrocarpum C.M.Rogers
116. Linum macrorhizum Juz.
117. Linum marginale A.Cunn.
118. Linum marianorum (Rivas Goday & Bellot) Mart.Labarga & Muñoz Garm.
119. Linum maritimum L.
120. Linum marojejyense (Humbert) C.M.Rogers
121. Linum mauritanicum Pomel
122. Linum mcvaughii C.M.Rogers
123. Linum medium (Planch.) Britton
124. Linum meletonis Hand.-Mazz.
125. Linum mexicanum Kunth
126. Linum micranthum A.Gray
127. Linum milletii Sennen & Gonzalo
128. Linum modestum C.M.Rogers
129. Linum monogynum G.Forst.
130. Linum mucronatum Bertol.
131. Linum mysorense B.Heyne ex Benth.
132. Linum narbonense L.
133. Linum nelsonii Rose
134. Linum neomexicanum Greene
135. Linum nervosum Waldst. & Kit.
136. Linum nodiflorum L.
137. Linum numidicum Murb.
138. Linum nutans Maxim.
139. Linum obtusatum (Boiss.) Stapf
140. Linum olgae Juz.
141. Linum oligophyllum Willd. ex Schult.
142. Linum olympicum Boiss.
143. Linum orizabae Planch.
144. Linum pallasianum Schult.
145. Linum pallescens Bunge
146. Linum pamphylicum (Boiss.) Podp.
147. Linum perenne L. – Plant FAQs: Linum Perenne
148. Linum persicum Boiss.
149. Linum peyronii Post
150. Linum phitosianum Christod. & Iatroú
151. Linum platyphyllum (P.H.Davis) Yıld.
152. Linum polygaloides Planch.
153. Linum pratense (Norton) Small
154. Linum pringlei S.Watson
155. Linum prostratum Dombey ex Lam.
156. Linum puberulum (Engelm.) A.Heller
157. Linum pubescens Banks & Sol.
158. Linum punctatum C.Presl
159. Linum pungens Planch.
160. Linum quadrifolium L.
161. Linum ramosissimum Gay
162. Linum rigidum Pursh
163. Linum rupestre Engelm. ex A.Gray
164. Linum rzedowskii Arreguín
165. Linum salsoloides Lam.
166. Linum scabrellum Planch.
167. Linum schiedeanum Schltdl. & Cham.
168. Linum scoparium Griseb.
169. Linum selaginoides Lam.
170. Linum seljukorum P.H.Davis
171. Linum setaceum Brot.
172. Linum silpii Gomb.
173. Linum smallii (C.M.Rogers) K.Bradley & Weakley
174. Linum smithii Mildner
175. Linum spergulinum A.Gray
176. Linum squamulosum Rudolphi ex Willd.
177. Linum squarrosum Munby
178. Linum stelleroides Planch.
179. Linum stocksianum Boiss.
180. Linum striatum Walter
181. Linum strictum L.
182. Linum subbiflorum Juz.
183. Linum subteres (Trel.) H.J.P.Winkl.
184. Linum suffruticosum L.
185. Linum sulcatum Riddell
186. Linum tauricum Willd.
187. Linum tegedense (C.Vicioso ex Pau) Mart.Labarga & Muñoz Garm.
188. Linum tenellum Schltdl. & Cham.
189. Linum tenue Desf.
190. Linum tenuifolium L.
191. Linum thesioides Bartl.
192. Linum thracicum Degen
193. Linum thunbergii Eckl. & Zeyh.
194. Linum tmoleum Boiss.
195. Linum toxicum Boiss.
196. Linum triflorum P.H.Davis
197. Linum trigynum L.
198. Linum turcomanicum Juz.
199. Linum ucranicum (Griseb. ex Planch.) Czern.
200. Linum unguiculatum P.H.Davis
201. Linum uninerve (Rochel) Jáv.
202. Linum usitatissimum L.
203. Linum vanense Azn.
204. Linum velutinum Steud. ex Planch.
205. Linum vernale Wooton
206. Linum verruciferum Azn.
207. Linum villarianum Pau
208. Linum villosum C.M.Rogers
209. Linum violascens Bunge
210. Linum virginianum L.
211. Linum virgultorum Boiss. & Heldr. ex Planch.
212. Linum viscosum L.
213. Linum volkensii Engl.
214. Linum vuralianum Yılmaz & Kaynak
215. Linum westii C.M.Rogers

More Than Just a Pretty Face

While the beauty of Linum is undeniable, its value extends far beyond its ornamental appeal. For thousands of years, humans have harnessed the practicality of flax. The stems of Linum usitatissimum yield strong fibers that are woven into linen, a durable and breathable fabric used for clothing, tablecloths, and even canvas for painting.

Flax seeds are equally valuable. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, they are a nutritional powerhouse. Linseed oil, extracted from these seeds, has various applications, from wood finishing to paint production. It’s even used in linoleum flooring, a testament to the versatility of this plant.

Cultivating Linum

Many Linum species are relatively easy to cultivate, making them a popular choice for gardeners. They generally prefer well-drained soil and sunny locations. While some species are annuals, completing their life cycle in one year, others are perennials, returning to grace gardens year after year.

Whether you’re drawn to the vibrant colors of their flowers, the practicality of their fibers, or the nutritional benefits of their seeds, there’s a Linum species out there for everyone. Exploring the world of Linum is a rewarding journey, one that connects us to both the beauty and utility of the natural world.