Alpine Flax

Linum alpinum has stems erect or recumbent, densely leafed, reaching an average of 10–50 cm (3.9–19.7 in) in height. This plant is glabrous and woody at the base. It has alternate leaves that are linear-lanceolate, up to 2.5 cm (0.98 in) long, and sessile. The hermaphrodite, rather large flowers with radial symmetry are blue, yellow at the bottom, with a diameter of 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in) and with erect or slightly inclined pedicels, in loose clusters each containing one to eight flowers. Sepals are unequal, with three veins at the base, 5–7 mm long. The petals are 12–20 mm long, three-four times longer than sepals. The fruits are capsules 6–8 mm long. Each fruit compartment contains a blackish seed. This species is quite similar to Linum leonii and Linum ockendonii.

This orophyte species occurs in central and southern Europe and western Asia, in rocky lawns, limestone hills and mountains of Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines, Rhodope Mountains and Urals, at an elevation of 1,400–2,500 m (4,600–8,200 ft) above sea level.

The Latin genus name Linum means thread, where as the species name alpinum means from the Alps.