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WILD LOBAU
FLAX FAMILY

THE FLAX FAMILY (Linaceae)

Linaceae is a family of flowering plants of which the majority found in temperate regions belong to the Flax subfamily, useful to man on account of its strong, high-quality fibres and oil-containing seeds.

Leaves of Linaceae are always simple; arrangement varies from alternate (most species) to opposite or whorled, often spirally arranged along the stem.

The flowers are five petalled (very rarely four) and radially symmetrical. The sepals are sometimes fused at the base but the petals are separate.

(source: Wikipedia)

Click on a thumbnail photo to go to full photo and description.

Austrian Flax in Lobau
Lobau Location
QUICK KEY

Leaf Types (Simplified)

Icon
Shape
Veins
Simple parallel leaf-vein diagram
Simple
Parallel
Simple pinnate leaf-vein diagram
Simple
Pinnate
Lobed pinnate leaf-vein diagram
Lobed
Pinnate
Compound pinnate leaf-vein diagram
Compound
Pinnate
Trifoliate3-pinnate leaf-vein diagram
Trifoliate
3-Pinnate
Simple palmate leaf-vein diagram
Simple
Palmate
Lobed palmate leaf-vein diagram
Lobed
Palmate
Compound palmate leaf-vein diagram
Compound
Palmate
Other and various leaf-vein arrangments diagram
Other
Various

Flower Types (Simplified)

Icon
Symmetry
Petals
Radial symmetry and 3 petals flower type diagram
Radial
3 or multiple 3s
Radial symmetry and 4 petals flower type diagram
Radial
4
Radial symmetry and 5 separate petals flower type diagram
Radial
5, Separate
Radial symmetry and 5 tubular petals flower type diagram
Radial
5, Tubular
Radial symmetry and 5 tubular base flower type diagram
Radial
5,Tubular base
Radial symmetry and 5 bell-shape petals flower type diagram
Radial
5, Bell shape
Bilateral symmetry and 5 separate petals flower type diagram
Bilateral
5, Separate
Bilateral symmetry and 5 lipped petals flower type diagram
Bilateral
5, Lipped
Bilateral symmetry and winged petals flower type diagram
Bilateral
Butterfly form
Bilateral symmetry and tubular flower type diagram
Bilateral
Tubular
Spurred flower type diagram
.
Spurred
Stellate composite flower type diagram
Stellate
Composite
Structured clusters flower type diagram
Structured Clusters
5, small
Anomalous flower type diagram
Anomalous
.
Inconspicuous flower type diagram
Inconspicuous
.

Inflorescence Types (Simplified)

Icon
Type
Capitulum
Umbel flower head inflorescence type diagram
Umbel
Spike-like flower head inflorescence type diagram
Spike-like
Branched flower head inflorescence type diagram
Branched
Whorled flower head inflorescence type diagram
Whorled
Clustered flower head inflorescence type diagram
Clustered
Single
Austrian Flax
 in Lobau

© 2015 Margaret Eros

LEAF TYPE
PETAL TYPE
INFLORES- CENCE TYPE
HEIGHT OF PLANT
FLOWERING MONTH
HABITAT
PHOTO LOCATION
  • diagram of 
<!--Next: FOR BLIND LEAF SHAPE ICON.-->
simple 
<!--Next brown section: FOR BLIND LEAF VEIN ICON.-->
 leaf shape and 
pinnate 
vein structure
    • diagram of 
<!--Next: FOR BLIND POPUP LEAF SHAPE.-->
simple 
leaf shape 
<!--Next: FOR BLIND POPUP LEAF VEIN ICON.-->
and 
pinnate 
vein structure
    • LEAF TYPE
    • Shape:
    • --simple (undivided/entire).
    • Veins:
    • --pinnate (main central vein with side branches).
    • This plant:
    • Short, lanceolate leaves along full length of slender stems
  • Radial symmetry and 5 separate petals
flower type diagram
    • Radial symmetry and 5 separate petals
flower type diagram
    • FLOWER TYPE
    • Symmetry:
    • --radial (star-shaped as seen from above).
    • Petals:
    • --5, separate (not joined).
    • This plant:
    • Smooth petal margins, slightly overlapping, up to 3cm diameter
  • 
<!--Next: FOR BLIND INFLORESENCE ICON. -->
Branched 
inflorescence diagram
    • Branched 
inflorescence diagram
    • INFLORESCENCE TYPE
    • Branched
    • --various branching patterns with flowers at the end of each branch.
    • This plant:
    • Flowers open singly and in sequence along budded tips of branching stems
  • 30 to 60 cm
  • May Jun Jul
  • Dry grassland

    Wayside

    • For more information, go to the “Habitats & such” tab in the menu bar.
  • diagram of photo location in the Lobau
    • diagram of photo location in the Lobau
Austrian Flax
Linum austriacum
Other common name(s): Asian Flax
German name(s): Österreich-Lein
ITIS Serial #: 503489
Date:
01 June, 2015

This is a rare and protected flower in this part of Austria. It is a herbaceous perennial with short, narrow, lanceolate leaves along the length of the slender branching stems, often curving downwards at the tips.

The flowers are a distinctive blue colour with distinctive dark-blue nerve markings and 5 short stamens with white anthers. They usually only open in the morning.

The fruit is a globular to egg-shaped capsule containing dry seeds.

The plant is an important food source for the larvae of certain moths and butterflies.

There are approximately 200 different species of flax, some of which are grown commercially as a source of bast fibre to produce linen as well as high quality linseed oil from the seeds.

  • !W!
    • 
whole plant of Austrian flax showing short, narrow leaves along slender, upright stems, often drooping at the tips
    • whole plant showing short, narrow leaves along slender, upright stems, often drooping at the tips
  • !D!
    • 
single flower of Autrian flax being pollinated by a hover fly with warning -wasp- markings (mimicry)
    • single flower being pollinated by a hover fly with warning 'wasp' markings (mimicry)