Linum lewisii 3477160 219102912 2008-06-13T16:07:51Z 140.139.35.250 m {{Taxobox | name = ''Linum lewisii'' | image = Linum lewisii, blue flax, Albuquerque.JPG | image_caption = In Elena Gallegos Picnic Area, Albuquerque, NM | image_width = 240px | regnum = [[Plant]]ae | divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] | ordo = [[Malpighiales]] | familia = [[Linaceae]] | genus = ''[[Linum]]'' | species = '''''L. lewisii''''' | binomial = ''Linum lewisii'' | binomial_authority = [[Frederick Traugott Pursh|Pursh]] }} '''''Linum lewisii''''' (''Linum perenne'' var. ''lewisii''), known as '''Lewis Flax''', '''blue flax''' or '''prarie flax''', is a [[Perennial plant|perennial]] [[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]]. It grows on ridges and dry slopes, from sea level in the north up to 3000 m altitude in the south of the species' range. It is a slender [[herbaceous]] plant growing to 90 cm tall, with spirally arranged narrow lanceolate [[leaf|leaves]] 1–2 cm long. The [[flower]]s are pale blue or lavender to white, 1.5–3 cm diameter, with five petals. It is commonly grown in gardens in suitable areas, especially in [[xeriscaping|xeriscape]]s. It is extremely aggressive in favorable conditions, successfully seeding even into established [[lawn]]s. <gallery> Image:Blue Flax Linum perenne lewisii 'Appar' Flower 2614px.jpg|'Appar' flower closeup Image:Linum lewisii0.jpg|Bloom detail Image:Linum lewisii, blue flax flower, Albuquerque.JPG|Flower </gallery> ==References== <!-- ---------------------------------------------------------- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for a discussion of different citation methods and how to generate footnotes using the <ref>, </ref> and <reference /> tags ----------------------------------------------------------- --> <div class="references-small"> <references /> *[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Linum%20lewisii Jepson Flora Project: ''Linum lewisii''] *[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?22342 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Linum lewisii''] *[http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LILE3 USDA Plant Profile: ''Linum lewisii''] *''Mojave Desert Wildflowers,'' Jon Mark Stewart, 1998, pg. 141 </div> {{commons|Linum lewisii}} [[Category:Linum]] [[Category:Flora of the Western United States]] [[pl:Linum lewisii]] {{Malpighiales-stub}}