About Linum bienne Mill.
Linum bienne Mill., commonly known as pale flax or narrowleaf flax, is a flowering plant species in the genus Linum. It is native to the Mediterranean region and western Europe, ranging north to England and Ireland. Pale flax grows as a biennial or perennial plant in dry, sunny calcareous or neutral grasslands, from sea level up to 1000 meters in elevation. It produces long, narrow stems that reach 60 cm tall, with slender leaves measuring 1.5–2.5 cm long. Its flowers have five nearly round petals around 1 cm long; the petals are pale blue with darker streaks. Flowering occurs in late spring, and continues through the summer at least in more temperate regions. The flowers are hermaphroditic and predominantly self-fertilising. This species, also referenced under the synonym Linum angustifolium, is considered the likely wild ancestor of cultivated flax. A fibre can be produced from its stem, and it is sometimes grown as a garden ornamental. It is an introduced species in Chile. It has also been introduced to North America, where it is naturalized along the Pacific coast from Oregon to the central coast of California, and also in Pennsylvania. It can also be found in Hawaii.
