Fairy Flax
Fairy Flax - Linum catharticum
Alternative names
Purging Flax
Description
Also known as White Flax and as Purging Flax. Slender, low to short hairless plant, generally with a solitary stem. Leaves opposite, oblong to lanceolate and one veined. Flowers white with a yellowish centre, 4 to 6 mm, in lax branched clusters, nodding in bud. Sepals with glandular hairy margins.
Identification difficulty
Habitat
Calcareous grassland, coastal dunes and grassy heaths.
When to see it
Late May to September.
Life History
Annual
UK Status
Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain.
VC55 Status
Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 177 of the 617 tetrads.
Graham Calow
Ellistown
27 June 2011
David Nicholls
New Lount
27 September 2012
Ron.stevens
Ketton Quarry NR
30 June 2011
David Nicholls
Cloud Wood
24 June 2011
David Nicholls
Evington Park
25 May 2012
AJ Cann
Merry's Meadows
21 June 2015
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