Linum bienne 621213 202641884 2008-04-01T21:22:13Z IceCreamAntisocial 346507 refine cat {{Taxobox | name = ''Linum bienne'' | image = Linum bienne Luc Viatour.JPG | image_width = 240px | regnum = [[Plant]]ae | divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] | ordo = [[Malpighiales]] | familia = [[Linaceae]] | genus = ''[[Linum]]'' | species = '''''L. bienne''''' | binomial = ''Linum bienne'' | binomial_authority = [[Philip Miller|Mill.]] }} '''''Linum bienne''''' ('''Pale Flax''') is a [[flowering plant]] in the genus ''[[Linum]]'', native to the [[Mediterranean region]] and western [[Europe]], north to [[England]] and [[Ireland]]. The Pale Flax grows as a [[biennial plant|biennial]] or [[perennial plant]] in dry, sunny [[chalk|calcareous]] or neutral grasslands from sea level up to 1000 metres. It has long, narrow stems to 60 cm tall and slender [[leaf|leaves]] 1.5-2.5 cm long. The [[flower]]s have five petals about 1 cm long and nearly round; they are pale blue but streaked with darker colour. It flowers in late spring and, at least in more temperate regions, through the summer. The flowers are hermaphrodite and are [[Pollination|pollinated]] by [[bee]]s and [[wasp]]s. The Pale Flax has been considered as a possible wild forebear of the cultivated [[Flax|Common Flax]], and a fibre can be made from its stem. It is sometimes grown as a [[gardening|garden]] plant. It has been introduced into [[North America]], where it is [[naturalisation (biology)|naturalised]] on the [[Pacific]] coast from [[Oregon]] to the central coast of [[California]], and also in [[Pennsylvania]]; it is also found in [[Hawaii]]. ==References== *Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). ''Illustrated Flora of Britain and Northern Europe''. Hodder & Stoughton. *Huxley, A. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening'' vol. 3: 93. Macmillan. [[Category:Linum]] [[Category:Fiber plants]] {{Malpighiales-stub}} [[de:Zweijähriger Lein]] [[es: Linum bienne]] [[fr:Lin bisannuel]]