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Botanical Family · Malpighiales

Linaceae

Flax Family

5 speciesOrder Malpighiales2+ well-known plants

The Linaceae family (Flax Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Malpighiales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 5 species across 3 genera. Members range from climbing shrubs to lianas. Well-represented genera include Hugonia, Linum and Reinwardtia. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include Climbing Flax and Yellow Flax.

Browse all 5 species ↓
Representative LINACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Linaceae
Key pattern

Narrow, entire leaves on slender-stemmed herbs; regular, five-petalled flowers open for only a single day each, quickly shedding their delicate petals, and ripen into a small capsule packed with oil-rich seeds.

Seeds throughout the family are unusually oil-rich (linseed/flaxseed oil), while stem fibres from the same plant are spun into linen — two entirely different products from one crop.

Identify the species

Which Linaceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Linaceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Climbing vine
Herb
Shrub
Family identification method

To check whether a plant belongs to Linaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.

Learn the full family-identification method

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Climbing FlaxHugonia mystaxYellow FlaxReinwardtia indica

Families that can look similar

Putranjivaceae

Compare against Putranjivaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Putranjivaceae

Euphorbiaceae

Compare against Euphorbiaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Euphorbiaceae

Flacourtiaceae

Compare against Flacourtiaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Flacourtiaceae

Hypericaceae

Compare against Hypericaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Hypericaceae

All 5 species in LINACEAE

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