Hesperolinon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hesperolinon |
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| Hesperolinon micranthum | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Linaceae |
| Subfamily: | Linoideae |
| Genus: | Hesperolinon (Gray) Small |
| Species | |
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13, see text |
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Hesperolinon is a group of plants often called dwarf-flax or western flax. These names come from where they grow: mostly along the west coast of North America. There are 13 different kinds, or species, of these wildflowers. Most of them grow only in special soil called serpentine soil in California, United States. These plants live for only one year and usually pollinate themselves.
Contents
What Do Dwarf-Flax Plants Look Like?
Dwarf-flax plants can grow from about five to fifty centimeters tall. Their leaves are thin and usually grow one after another along the stem. They are not flat and do not wrap around the stem.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers grow in open clusters. Each flower sits on a thin stem. They have five sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. These sepals might have tiny, gland-like teeth on their edges.
Each flower also has five petals that spread out wide. These petals can be yellow, white, or rose-colored and are usually between one and twelve millimeters long. At the inside base of each petal, there are three tiny scales. The flowers have five stamens, which produce pollen, and their ovary has four to six chambers. They also have two or three styles, which are part of the female reproductive system. When the plant makes fruit, it has a smooth surface.
Different Kinds of Dwarf-Flax
Here are some of the known species of Hesperolinon:
- Hesperolinon adenophyllum - glandular western flax
- Hesperolinon bicarpellatum - bicarpellate western flax
- Hesperolinon breweri - Brewer's western flax
- Hesperolinon californicum - California western flax
- Hesperolinon clevelandii - Allen Springs dwarf flax
- Hesperolinon congestum - Marin western flax
- Hesperolinon didymocarpum - Lake County western flax
- Hesperolinon disjunctum - Coast Range western flax
- Hesperolinon drymarioides - drymary western flax
- Hesperolinon micranthum - smallflower western flax
- Hesperolinon serpentinum
- Hesperolinon sharsmithiae - Sharsmith's western flax
- Hesperolinon spergulinum - slender western flax
- Hesperolinon tehamense - Paskenta Grade western flax, Tehama western flax
See also
In Spanish: Hesperolinon para niños
