Linum vernale Wooton 1898
Creators: name: González-Velasco, Juan
name: Burgos-Hernández, Mireya
name: Galván-Escobedo, Iris G.
name: Castillo-Campos, Gonzalo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Malpighiales
Linaceae
Linum
Linum vernale

description: Linum vernale Wooton (1898: 452). (Fig. 12).
Type:— UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. New Mexico: Dona Ana Co., Little Mountain, near Las Cruces, E.O. Wooton s.n (holotype US!, isotype NY!).
Cathartolinum vernale Small (1907j: 80).
Mesynium vernale (Wooton) W.A.Weber (1984: 3).
Description: — Herbs, annual, 10–50 cm in height, glabrous, root thick; stems erect to ascending, slightly striate, branched at the base and inflorescences, glabrous. Leaves entire, alternate; basal leaves opposite, numerous in the lower part of the stem; linear, 8.0–17.0 × 0.5–1.3 mm, sessile, apex acute, whitish; 1-nerved, nerve most evident on the abaxial surface; scariose, glabrous, stipular glands present at the base. Inflorescence an open panicle, pedicels 2.0–12.0 mm long; bracts 3.4–6.6 mm long, glabrous, margin glandular-dentate, apex acute, whitish, stipular glands present at the base; sepals persistent, lanceolate, 4.0–7.5 × 1.3–1.6 mm, margin glandular-dentate; apex acute-acuminate, whitish; 1-nerved, stipular glands absent; petals yellow-orange to salmon, reddish base, widely obovate, 10.0–17.0 mm long, glabrous; stamens 4.0–8.0 mm long; anthers 1.0– 1.8 mm long, brown; staminodia absent; styles fused to near the apex, 4.0–8.0 mm long; stigmata capitate, dark red. Fruit ovoid, yellow, 3.0–4.0 × 2.5–3.2 mm, glabrous, pericarp thick, apex acute, dehiscent into 5 segments, false septa incomplete; seeds elliptical, reddish-brown, 2.0–2.8 × 0.9–1.3 mm.
Distribution: — United States of America; in Mexico, in Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon (Fig. 5c).
Habitat and ecology: —Yucca shrublands, thornless or sub-thornless small-leaved shrubland, and pine forests. Elevation 1200–2400 m. Limestone Cambisol, Phaeozem, Lithosol, Solonchak, and Xerosol soil types.
Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting in March–September.
Note: — Linum vernale has yellow-orange to salmon corollas, with a reddish base. This coloration facilitates recognizing the species. Besides, L. vernale is distinguished from other yellow-flowered species by the attachment of the styles and its dark-red anthers.
Conservation status: —According to the criterion and subcriteria B established by the IUCN (2019), L. vernale can be considered LC (EOO = 127,222.723 km 2), and although its AOO is 44 km 2, it is known from> 10 localities. In addition, its distribution range reaches several localities outside the country.
Specimens examined: — MEXICO. Chihuahua: Chihuahua, Parque Cumbres de Majalca, 2075 m, 02 August 1997, C. Yen & E. Estrada 7699 (ANSM!); Just below the high ridge-crests at the northwestern end of the Sierra del Diablo, 29 July 1941, R.M. Stewart 1000 (MEXU!). Coahuila: General Cepeda, Sierra de La Paila, 1750 m, 25°38’00”N, 101°35’00”W, 27 April 1990, J.A. Villarreal et al. 5586 (ANSM!); Lampasos, 1.5 km al NE de La Mesa, 230 m, 20 March 1983, O. Briones 1021 (ANSM!); Lampasos, 1.5 km al NE de La Mesa, 230 m, 20 March 1983, O. Briones 1069 (ANSM!); Múzquiz, 5.70 km al sureste de las Esperanzas, 432 m, 27°42’31”N 101°18’20”W, 29 March 2015, J.A. Encina et al. 5147 (ANSM!); Ocampo, Sierra del Carmen, 1300 m, 28°47’00”N, 102°30’00”W, 27 March 1992, M.A. Carranza et al. 1337 (ANSM!); Rancho Vista Hermosa, 1458 m, 28°87’38”N, 102°60’29”W, 29 September 1997, S. Wood et al. 97SW036 (ANSM!); Valley extending northeast from Tanque Armendais to south end of Sierra del Pino, 19 August 1940, I.M. Johnston & C.H. Muller 370 (MEXU!); Zaragoza, Rancho Los Potros, Sierra El Burro, 1200 m, 28°55’00”N, 101°45’00”W, 14 July 1987, D. Castillo-Quiroz 536 (ANSM!). Nuevo Leon: Los Ramones, La Presa, camino a la Hda. El Carrizo, 10 May 1979, J.A. Villarreal 9526 (ANSM!); Los Ramones, La Presa, camino a la Hda. El Carrizo, 10 May 1979, J.A. Villarreal 9527 (ANSM!).
description: Published as part of González-Velasco, Juan, Burgos-Hernández, Mireya, Galván-Escobedo, Iris G. & Castillo-Campos, Gonzalo, 2022, Taxonomic update of the flax family in Mexico, pp. 141-184 in Phytotaxa 549 (2) on page 176, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.549.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/6622753