Linum L.
In North Africa this genus is represented by various species either herbaceous or with stems with little lignification (or when lignified they are chamaephytes or hemicryptophytes only just measuring above 50 cm in height). Only one species, L. suffruticosum, has clearly woody stems, at least at the base, and is often some 0.5 m in height. The other species of the genus in the region, ± woody but less robust, are subshrubs with alternate leaves and pentamerous flowers.
L. narbonense L. (Ara. Egypt: Orq-angebar), lignified at the base and sometimes exceeding 0.5m in height (especially when growing amongst dense vegetation) is easily differentiated from the former by its flat leaves, with margin only slightly or not revolute at all and flowers with blue petals 20-30(40) mm. It grows on calcareous soils of the western Mediterranean, in North Africa it lives in N Morocco and N Algeria.
L. grandiflorum Desf. is a rare subshrub with lanceolate leaves, easy to differentiate by its solitary flowers with large petals (c. 30 mm.) reddish with black vernation, and capsule 8-10 mm. Endemic to the littoral regions of NE Morocco and NW Algeria; the citations from Tunisia appear to be from cultivated specimens.
L. numidicum Murb. differs clearly by having flowers in groups with yellowish or whitish-yellowish petals (15-24 mm), and capsules 4-5 mm. Generally on siliceous soils in subhumid and humid environments in northern parts of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
Relatively common species, none are considered threatened. Currently, they have not been assessed at a global level on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In Algeria L. grandiflorum is included in the List of protected non cultivated flora (Executive Decree 12-03 on 4-Jan-2012).
Key to species
1 Subshrub up to 1 m tall. White flowers Linum suffruticosum
1 Subshrubs or perennial herbaceous plants with woody roots, up to 0.5-0.8 m tall. Blue, red or yellowish flowers 2
2 Blue flowers, petals of 20-30(40) mm Linum narbonense
2 Red or yellowish flowers 3
3 Subshrub with red flowers, with petals of c. 30 mm Linum grandiflorum
3 Perennial herbaceous plant with yellow or whitish-yellow flowers, petals of 15-24 mm Linum numidicum
Updated by: J. Charco.