Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Great Plains and eastern Canada.
Habitat: Dry, open areas from prairies to alpine ridges.
Flowers: May-July
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies
Glabrous and somewhat glaucous perennial, from a woody crown, the stem 1-6 dm. tall.
Leaves alternate, linear, 1-3 cm. long, 1-nerved, acute to rounded.
Inflorescence a terminal raceme, the pedicels slender, about as long as the flowers; sepals 5, 4-7 mm. long, the margins membranous, entire; petals 5, blue, 10-23 mm. long; stamens 5, united at the base to form a short tube, with tooth-like projections 1 mm. long on the tube alternate with the filaments; styles 5, much longer than the stamens,
Capsule 10-celled.
Publication: Fl. Amer. Sept. (Pursh) 1: 210. 1813.
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var. lewisii – wild blue flax
Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Great Plains and eastern Canada.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Linum lewisii in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Linum lewisii checklist entry.
OregonFlora: Linum lewisii information.
E-Flora BC: Linum lewisii atlas page.
CalPhotos: Linum lewisii photos.
USDA Plants: Linum lewisii information.
