Linseed (Linum usitatissimum, Sp. Pl.: 277 (1753))

Family: Linaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 277 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Linum

Vegetable: False

Observations: Türkiye to Iran

Description

Linseed, scientifically known as Linum usitatissimum, is a member of the Linaceae family, which has been recognized and documented since 1753. This plant holds significant agricultural and economic value and is predominantly found in regions extending from Türkiye to Iran.

Characterized by its slender, erect stature, Linseed typically grows to a substantial height, displaying narrow, lance-shaped leaves that contribute to its delicate appearance. The plant blooms with small, yet strikingly beautiful, blue or pale violet flowers that create a charming contrast against the green foliage. These blossoms eventually give way to seed capsules containing the highly prized linseeds, known for their nutritional richness and industrial applications.

Linseed seeds, often referred to as flax seeds, are renowned for their omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, and lignans, which offer numerous health benefits. They are a popular supplement in diets focused on reducing inflammation, improving cardiovascular health, and supporting digestive function. Additionally, linseed oil, extracted from the seeds, serves multiple purposes ranging from culinary uses to being a key ingredient in products such as paints, varnishes, and linoleum.

Historically, Linum usitatissimum has been cultivated not only for its seeds but also for its fibers. These fibers are the raw material for linen production, a textile that has been esteemed for centuries due to its durability, breathability, and comfort. The linen fabric, sourced from linseed plants, has been a staple in various cultures for clothing, beddings, and other household textiles.

The adaptability of Linum usitatissimum to different soil types and climates, particularly within its native range from Türkiye to Iran, makes it a resilient crop that contributes to sustainable agricultural practices. Its cultivation requires careful management to ensure optimal growth and high-quality yield, involving practices such as proper soil selection, irrigation, and pest control.

In conclusion, linseed or Linum usitatissimum embodies a multifaceted plant with substantial historical, nutritional, and industrial significance. Its widespread uses and benefits underscore the importance of this versatile species from the Linaceae family.

Common Names

Dan: almindelig hør
Eng: common flax, flax, linseed, cultivated flax
Deu: echter lein, flachs, saat-lein, saat-lein, flachs, saatlein
Fra: lin, lin cultivé, lin utile
Spa: lino, linho
Heb: pishta tarbutit, פשתה תרבותית
Ara: kettan
Swa: kitani
Ces: len setý
Swe: lin, peltopellava, oljelin, spånadslin, äkta lin
Nno: lin
Nob: lin
Ell: linari
Por: linhaça, linho
Ita: lino
Fin: peltopellava
Nld: vlas, gekweekt vlas
Cym: llin, llin amaeth, llin ardir, llin cyffredin
En: Linseed, Flax, Common flax, Cultivated flax, सन, ᎤᎦᏔ, Linseed Flax, Fibre Flax, Omega Flax
Af: Flas, Lynsaad, Vlas
Am: ተልባ
Ar: Kettan, كتان (كِتّان), Kitan, كتان
Hy: Կտավատ
Az: Adi kətan
Eu: Liho
Be: Лён звычайны
Bn: তিসি
Bs: Lan
Bg: Културен лен
Ca: Lli, Lli ver
Zh: Ya ma, 亞麻
Kw: Lin
Hr: Lan
Cs: Len užitkový, Len setý
Da: Almindelig Hør, Hør, Vlas
Nl: Gekweekt vlas, Lijnzaad, Vlas
Eo: Ordinara lino
Et: Harilik lina
Fi: Peltopellava
Fr: Lin, Lin cultivé, Lin utile, Lin usuel
Gl: Liño
Ka: Linari
De: Saatlein, Flachs, Lein, Saat-Lein, Gemeiner Lein, Echter Lein, Saat-Lein, Flachs
El: Dinarósporos, Λινάρι, Linari
Gn: Lino
Gu: અળસી
He: פשתן, Pishta tarbutit, פשתה תרבותית
Hi: अलसी
Hu: Len, Házi len
Is: Hör, Spunalín
Io: Lino
Id: Flax
Ga: Líon
It: Lino, Lino coltivato
Kn: ಅಗಸೆನಾರು
Kv: Шабді
Ko: Ama, 아마
Ku: Loke
Lv: Sējas lini
Li: Vlas
Lt: Sėjamasis linas
Mk: Лен
Mg: Rongony
Ms: Flaks
Ml: ചെറുചണ
Mr: जवस
Mn: Маалинга
Ne: आलस
No: Alminnelig lin, Lin
Nb: Lin
Nn: Lin
Oc: Lin cultivat
Os: Даргъ лыстæг гæн
Pa: ਅਲਸੀ
Fa: کتان‌
Pl: Len Pospolity, Len zwyczajny
Pt: Linhaça, Linho
Pt-br: Linho
Qu: Linu
Ro: In
Ru: Лён обыкновенный
Sr: Лан
Sd: السي
Sk: Ľan siaty
So: Qoondar
Es: Lino, Lan, Linho
Sw: Kitani
Sv: Lin, Peltopellava, Oljelin, Spånadslin, Äkta lin
Tl: Lino
Zh-tw: 亞麻
Ta: ஆளி
Tt: Гади җитен
Te: మదన గింజ
Tr: Keten
Ug: زىغىر
Uk: Льон
Ur: السی
Uz: Zigʻir
Vi: Cây lanh
Wa: Lén
Cy: Llin, Llin Amaeth, Llin Ardir, Llin Cyffredin
Fy: Flaaks

Synonyms

• Linum usitatissimum var. sativum ((L.) Pohl)
• Linum humile f. coimbricum (Elladi ex Rothm.)
• Linum humile subsp. crepitans ((Boenn.) Rothm.)
• Linum usitatissimum subsp. vulgare ((Boenn.) Schübl. & G.Martens)
• Linum angustifolium subsp. usitatissimum ((L.) Rouy)
• Linum usitatissimum subsp. mediterraneum (Vavilov & Elladi)
• Linum humile subsp. transiens (Elladi ex Rothm.)
• Linum humile f. vaccaeorum (Elladi ex Rothm.)
• Linum usitatissimum var. hirsutiseptum (Rothm.)
• Linum usitatissimum var. glabriseptum (Rothm.)
• Linum dehiscens subsp. crepitans ((Boenn.) Vavilov & Elladi)

Distribution

• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Afghanistan (introduced)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Albania (introduced)
• Alberta (introduced)
• Algeria (introduced)
• Amur (introduced)
• Angola (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina Northwest (introduced)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Assam (introduced)
• Azores (introduced)
• Baleares (introduced)
• Bangladesh (introduced)
• Belgium (introduced)
• Bermuda (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• Bulgaria (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Canary Is. (introduced)
• Central European Rus (introduced)
• Chile Central (introduced)
• Chile North (introduced)
• China North-Central (introduced)
• China South-Central (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Corse (introduced)
• Costa Rica (introduced)
• Cuba (introduced)
• Cyprus (introduced)
• Czechoslovakia (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• East Aegean Is. (introduced)
• East European Russia (introduced)
• East Himalaya (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• Egypt (introduced)
• Ethiopia (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• France (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• India (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Italy (introduced)
• Japan (introduced)
• Kamchatka (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kazakhstan (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Kenya (introduced)
• Khabarovsk (introduced)
• Kirgizstan (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Kriti (introduced)
• Libya (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Madeira (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Manchuria (introduced)
• Manitoba (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Mexico Central (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Mongolia (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Morocco (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nepal (introduced)
• New Caledonia (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• Newfoundland (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Northwest Territorie (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Oman (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pakistan (introduced)
• Palestine (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Portugal (introduced)
• Primorye (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• Sakhalin (introduced)
• Sardegna (introduced)
• Saskatchewan (introduced)
• Saudi Arabia (introduced)
• Sicilia (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• South Dakota (introduced)
• South European Russi (introduced)
• Spain (introduced)
• Tadzhikistan (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Thailand (introduced)
• Tibet (introduced)
• Tunisia (introduced)
• Turkey-in-Europe (introduced)
• Turkmenistan (introduced)
• Ukraine (introduced)
• Uruguay (introduced)
• Uzbekistan (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Vietnam (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Himalaya (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)
• Xinjiang (introduced)
• Yemen (introduced)
• Yugoslavia (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken May 3, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 3, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 6, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 24, 2020 by Ika Weiler (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 3, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Aug 7, 2022 by Herman Van Boxem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 28, 2021 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 1, 2021 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 3, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 24, 2020 by Ika Weiler (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Jul 1, 2021 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 5, 2018 by bu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 12, 2018 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 12, 2018 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 12, 2018 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Sep 28, 2021 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 15, 2021 by Em Em Do (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 3, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 12, 2018 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 24, 2020 by Ika Weiler (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (public)

Taken Dec 29, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Pierre CROUZET (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 17, 2020 by Gerda Teunissen (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 3, 2020 by Renaud Brochiero (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 3, 2020 by Renaud Brochiero (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Sep 7, 2008 by Tela Botanica − Claude FIGUREAU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 1, 2019 by Pour Demos (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 15, 2017 by francois tissot (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 19, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Henri SCORDIA (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 9, 2020 by marin joni (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:544772-1)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2873861)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Linum usitatissimum L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.0

Ph minimum: 6.5

Light: 7

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Soil nutriments: 6