Common Names: Lewis Flax, Wild Blue Flax, Prairie Flax, Lewis’s Flax
Synonyms: Linum lewisii
Taxonomy: Linaceae (Flax)
Habit: perennial subshrub
Size: 18-30” tall
Flowers: white, blue, purple
Bloom: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Leaves: spiral arrangement
Fruit: capsule
Description:
It is a slender with spirally arranged narrow lanceolate leaves 0.5-1” long. The flowers are pale blue or lavender to white, often veined in darker blue, with five petals 1/2” (1–1.5 cm) long. The flowers open in the morning and fade, dropping their petals by noon on hot, sunny days.
Distribution: Roughly the western 3/4 of North America
Seen: NV (Mountain Springs Summit)
Habitat: ridges and dry slopes, from sea level in the north up to 11,000 feet (3,400 metres)
