Linum tauricum, Willd.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1981, Flora Europaea. Volume 2. Rosaceae to Umbelliferae, Cambridge University Press : 207

5. L. tauricum Willd. , Enum. Pl. Hort. Berol. 339 (1809)

(£. serbicum Podp. ; inch L. bulgaricum Podp. , L. pseudelegans Podp. , L. orientale sensu Hayek ).

Stock much-branched, often woody, with numerous non-flowering rosettes and flowering stems up to 40 cm. Lower leaves narrowly spathulate, more or less acute, usually 3-veined; upper cauline leaves often lanceolate, l(-3)-veined. Inflorescence usually 10- to 20-flowered. Sepals 6-8 mm, narrowly acuminate, much exceeding capsule. Beak of capsule c. 1 mm. S.E. Europe. Al Bu G r Ju Rm Rs (W, K) Tu. The plant from Krym described by Willdenow is said by Russian authors to differ from other material from the U.S.S.R. in its lanceolate cauline leaves and persistent basal leaves. The more widespread plant in W. Ukraine, Moldavia and S.E. Romania (and also in Krym) has been distinguished as L. linearifolium (Lindem.) Jâv. , Magyar Bot. Lapok 9: 156 (1910), with linearspathulate basal and linear or linear-lanceolate cauline leaves, the former often withered at time of flowering. L. euboeum Bomm. , Bot. Jahrb. 59: 443 (1925), described from S.E. Greece (Ewoia), has 5-veined leaves and short, triangularlanceolate sepals.