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Linum usitatissimum L.

Overview
General Information
ID Info
Similar Species
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Aperçu
Renseignements Généraux
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Family :

Famille :

Linaceae

Synonym(s) :

Synonyme(s) :

Linum crepitans (Boenn.) Dumort. (USDA-ARS 2024)
Linum humile Mill. (USDA-ARS 2024)

Common Name(s) :

Nom(s) commun(s) :

Flax

(English) (USDA-ARS 2024)
Linseed (English) (Wiersema & León 2016; USDA-ARS 2024)
Lin (French) (Wiersema & León 2016; USDA-ARS 2024)
Lin cultivé (French) (FNA 1993+; Darbyshire 2003)
亚麻 ya ma (Chinese) (FOC 1994+)
Flachs (German) (Wiersema & León 2016; USDA-ARS 2024)
Linhaça (Portuguese) (Wiersema & León 2016; USDA-ARS 2024)
Lino (Spanish) (Wiersema & León 2016; USDA-ARS 2024)

Linum usitatissimum (flax) seeds

  • Linum usitatissimum (flax) seeds

  • Linum usitatissimum  (flax) seed

  • Linum usitatissimum (flax) seed

  • Linum usitatissimum (flax) seed

  • Linum usitatissimum seeds

  • Linum usitatissimum seed

  • Linum usitatissimum seed head (dehiscent)

  • Linum usitatissimum seed head (indehiscent)

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Overview

Aperçu

Regulation :

Remarques Réglementation:

    Regulation Notes:

    Distribution :

    Répartition :

    Habitat and Crop Association :

    Habitat et Cultures Associées :

    Economic Use, cultivation area, and Weed Association :

    Utilisation économique, zone de culture et association de mauvaises herbes :

    There are two types of Linum usitatissimum (flax) produced; one grown primarily for seed oil, the other grown primarily for the fibre. Flax seed oil is used in human food and in industrial applications (e.g., paint, linoleum, lubricants). Flax meal is a biproduct of the oil extraction process and is used as a high value animal feed. Flax fibre is processed into products such as paper, linen, and insulation (Cloutier 2016).

    Canada is the largest producer of flax in the world. Canadian flax production accounts for nearly 40% of the global trade of flax seed. (Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission 2023). China, the United States, and India are also major producers of flax (Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission 2023).

    Weeds can become a problem in flax crops if they are not controlled early in the growing season. Flax crops do not shade the ground like cereal crops. Because of this, weed seeds can get sufficient sunlight to establish themselves. Weeds like Fallopia convolvulus (L.) Á. Löve and Amaranthus retroflexus L. take nitrogen from the soil which reduces the amount available to the flax crop. Weeds reduce yields and cause economic loss to growers due to dockage (Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission 2023).

    Duration of Life Cycle :

    Durée du cycle vital:

    Annual

    Dispersal Unit Type :

    Type d’unité de dispersion :

    Seed

    General Information

    RENSEIGNEMENTS GÉNÉRAUX

    The species name of flax; usitatissimum means “most useful” due to its versatility (Cloutier 2016). Humans have used flax for food and textiles for 500 years (Singh 2011). The word “linseed” often refers to seed grown for oil extraction with industrial end uses which include but are not limited to the production and manufacturing of soaps, paints, varnishes, linoleum, oilcloths, and printing ink (Singh 2011). The word “flaxseed” is more commonly associated with non-processed seed which is used in human food or animal feed. However, these terms can be used interchangeably since they both represent flax with the same oilseed quality (Cloutier 2016).

    Flax offers a vast array of health benefits for humans, which include both nutritional and disease fighting benefits. It contains the highest concentration of lignans compared to all other foods from plants. Flax is exceptionally rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It is an excellent source of both fibre and protein. Flaxseed oil is high in polyunsaturated fat and low in saturated fat. Flax seeds also contain compounds which help with the uptake of nutrients. There have been studies which demonstrate flax’s potential to fight diseases such a rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease and colon, breast, and prostate cancer (Singh, 2011).

    Linseed meal which is used as a food for livestock is rich in alpha-linolenic acid; an Omega-3 fatty acid. Because of this, it is fed to poultry, swine, and cattle to produce Omega-3 enriched eggs and meat (Cloutier 2016).

    Solin is a cultivated form of flax that was bred to produce oil which has a lower amount of alpha-linolenic acid. This was done to increase the storage quality of flax used for the purpose of animal feed. Linola is the trademark name for Solin (Dribnenki and Green 1995). Solin was bred to have light yellow seeds, but it is important to note that not all yellow seeded flax is Solin (Grainews 2024).

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    Identification

    Identification

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    • Capsule

      Shape

      • Capsule is globose in shape

      Surface Texture

      • Capsule is smooth with ribs

      Colour

      • Capsule is light green when immature; yellowish brown or brown when mature

      Other Features

      • Capsules have 5 segments, each of which has the potential to contain 2 seeds if every embryo develops into a seed
      • Each segment is separated in half by a low wall called a false septum
      • Capsules can contain a maximum of 10 seeds, but most capsules contain 6 to 8 seeds (Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission 2023)
      • When capsules are ripe, they open at the apex with the five segments separating slightly along the margins (Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission 2023)
      • After harvest, some capsules may remain intact and can be observed mixed in with the harvested seed
      • The term for a flax capsule used in private industry is dry boll (Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission 2023)
      • Capsules are dehiscent or indehiscent

      Linum usitatissimum seed head (indehiscent)

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    • Seed

      Shape

      • Seeds lying flat on the widest plane (top view) are a tear-drop shape with a tip that is rounded and curved slightly to one side
      • Seeds lying on the narrowest plane (side view) have narrow edges and gradually become thicker towards the centre
      • Seeds are slightly convex

      Surface Texture

      • Seeds appear to be smooth unless they are viewed under high magnification (at least 6x)
      • When seeds are viewed under high magnification, reticulations can be observed below the transparent surface

      Colour

      • Linum usitatissimum has both brown and yellow (golden) seeded varieties
      • The colour of the brown seeded varieties ranges from dark reddish brown to light brown, to medium brown
      • The yellow seeded varieties produce seed which is a medium yellow or straw colour
      • Seeds are sometimes lighter in colour around the edges and the degree of this trait varies from one seed to the next
      • Environmental influences can cause some seeds to have a mottled appearance (both yellow and brown on the same seed) (Saskatchewan Flax Development Council 2023)

      Other Features

      • Seeds are highly shiny due to being coated with a transparent layer of tissue which attracts water
      • Once seeds become wet, the transparent layer becomes mucilaginous; when the seeds return to being dry, they no longer appear shiny, but become dull looking and potentially stick to other flax seeds and capsules (Saskatchewan Flax Development Council 2023)

      Linum usitatissimum (flax) seeds

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    • Embryo

      Size

      • Embryo fills the seed (USDA-ARS 2024)

      Shape

      • Embryo has a short embryonic axis (comprised of hypocotyl and radicle initials) connected to large cotyledons that are a similar shape as the seed (Venglat et al. 2011)

      Endosperm

      • Endosperm is thin; nutritive source is in cotyledons (Venglat et al. 2011)

      Other Features

      • Embryo is upright in the seed (Venglat et al. 2011)

    Identification Tips

    CONSEILS POUR L’IDENTIFICATION

    Linum usitatissimum seeds can be easily identified by their shape and surface texture. They are flat, smooth, and have a tear drop shape with a bluntly pointed end that curves slightly to one side. Seeds are shiny except in cases where seeds have been harvested immature or have become wet post-harvest.

    Size is a useful trait to consider when trying to distinguish Linum usitatissimum from other Linum species. Generally, Linum usitatissimum seeds tend to be notably larger than most other Linum species.

    Linum usitatissimum  (flax) seed

    Additional Botany Information

    AUTRES RENSEIGNEMENTS BOTANIQUES

    Flowers/Inflorescence

    • Inflorescence is an open panicle with blue (occasionally white) flowers (FNA 1993+)
    • Flowers have 5 sepals and 5 petals (Minnesota Wildflowers 2024)
    • Sepals are egg-shaped, length: 6-9 mm and petals are egg-shaped, length; 10-15 mm (FNA 1993+)

    Vegetative Features

    • Plants are 20-100 cm tall with erect stems, leaves are linear to narrow teardrop-shaped that have length: 10–40 mm; width: 1.5–5 mm (FNA 1993+)

    Similar Species

    ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES

    Similar species are based on a study of seed morphology of various species, and those with similar dispersal units are identified. The study is limited by physical specimen and literature availability at the time of examination, and possibly impacted by the subjectivity of the authors based on their knowledge and experience. Providing similar species information for seed identification is to make users aware of similarities that could possibly result in misidentification.

    Linum grandiflorum Desf. (crimson flax)

    This red flowered (FNA 1993+) ornamental species is native to Algeria (USDA-ARS 2023). It was introduced to parts of North, Central and South America (FNA 1993+). Seeds have a length: 2-3 mm; width: 0.5-1 mm (FNA 1993+) and are more flattened and less lustrous than L. usitatissimum. Seeds are mainly dark greenish brown in colour with a thin, defined yellowish brown edge. The pointed end of the seed is more rounded and blunter than in L. usitatissimum. Under high magnification (12x) a ridged honeycomb pattern below the transparent surface of the seed coat is clearly visible. L. usitatissimum does have some reticulation below its transparent covering as well, but it is not as clearly defined.

    Linum perenne L. (perennial flax)

    This species is Native to Western Siberia and most of Europe. The appearance of its seeds differs from L. usitatissimum in that they are darker brown in colour, and notably smaller (length: 3.0-4.2 mm; width: 1.7-2.0 mm) (FNA 1993+). These seeds are much flatter, appear dull. If viewed under magnification a reticulated surface pattern can be noticed.

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    Reference(s)

    Référence(s)

    Cloutier, S., 2016. Linseed, G.W. Smithers (Ed.) Reference Module in Food Science, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 1-16.

    Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Branch. Ottawa, ON.

    Dribnenki, J. C. P. and A. G. Green. 1995. Linola™ ‘947’ low linolenic acid flax. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 75(1): 201-202.

    Flora of China (FOC) 1994+. Sida rhombifolia Vol. 12 Page 271 (English edition). http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200012411 Accessed October 09, 2024.

    Flora of North America (FNA) Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico [Online]. 22+ vols. New York and Oxford. http://beta.floranorthamerica.org. Accessed October 09, 2024.

    Grainews. 2024. Golden flax can pay dividends, if you can find the seed first (J. Heit) http://www. grainews.ca/crops/higher-premiums-from-golden-flax/#:~:text=Solin%20or%20Linola%20flax%20varieties%20were  Accessed October 3, 2024.

    Minnesota Wildflowers. 2024. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/common-flax Accessed October 09, 2024.

    Qiu, C., Wang, H., Guo, Y., Long, S., Wang, Y., Abbasi, A.M., Guo, X., Jarvis, D.I., 2020. Comparison of Fatty Acid Composition, Phytochemical Profiles and Antioxidant Activities in Four Flax ( Linum usitatissimum L.) Varieties, Oil Crop Science, 5(3): 136-141.

    Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission. https://www.saskflax.com/ Accessed October 4, 2024.

    Singh, K. K., Mridula, D., Rehal, J., & Barnwal, P. 2011. Flaxseed: A Potential Source of Food, Feed and Fiber. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 51(3): 210–222.

    United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS). 2024. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysearch Accessed October 04, 2024.

    Venglat, P., Xiang, D., Qiu, S., Stone, S., Tibiche, C., Cram, D., Alting-Mees, M., Nowak, J., Cloutier, S., Deyholos, M., Bekkaoui, F., Sharpe, A., Wang, E., Rowland, G., Selvaraj, G., Datla, R. 2011. Gene expression analysis of flax seed development. BMC Plant Biology 2011, 11:74
    http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/11/74

    Wiersema, John, H. and Blanca León. 2016. World Economic Plants. Available from: VitalSource Bookshelf, (2nd Edition). Taylor & Francis.

    Wikipedia: Linola. 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linola Accessed August 9, 2022.

    Author(s)

    AUTEUR(S)

    Janessa Emerson, Angela Salzl

    Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

    contactus@idseed.org

    Last updated
    on 2023-03-27

    © 2024 ISMA - International Seed Morphology Association