''Linanthus'' is a genus of

annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual * Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

and

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s in the

phlox ''Phlox'' (; Greek φλόξ "flame"; plural "phlox" or "phloxes", Greek φλόγες ''phlóges'') is a genus of 67 species of perennial and annual plants in the family Polemoniaceae. They are found mostly in North America (one in Siberia) in d ...

family

Polemoniaceae The Polemoniaceae (Jacob's-ladder or phlox family) are a family of flowering plants consisting of about 25 genera with 270–400 species of annuals and perennials native to the Northern Hemisphere and South America, with the center of diversity ...

. The species are found in western North America and in Chile, with the greatest diversity in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

. The stems are erect, with multiple branches arising directly from the base, and grow 2–15 cm tall. The leaves are stem-like (''

cauline A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...

'') and opposite, with shapes ranging from entire to palmately lobed, the 3-9 lobes being linear to lanceolate or spatulate. Flowers have a tubular

calyx Calyx or calyce (plural "calyces"), from the Latin ''calix'' which itself comes from the Ancient Greek ''κάλυξ'' (''kálux'') meaning "husk" or "pod", may refer to: Biology * Calyx (anatomy), collective name for several cup-like structures ...

, and the

corolla Corolla may refer to: *Corolla (botany), the petals of a flower, considered as a unit *Toyota Corolla, an automobile model name * Corolla (headgear), an ancient headdress in the form of a circlet or crown * ''Corolla'' (gastropod), a genus of moll ...

may be funnel- or bell-shaped, or . The genus name is from the Greek for "flax flower", since the flowers superficially resemble those of

flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known i ...

. The genus has recently been split, with many of the species formerly included now transferred to the genus ''

Leptosiphon ''Leptosiphon'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Polemoniaceae family. Many included species were formerly classified as members of the genus ''Linanthus''. Some species of this genus are grown as ornamental plants. Species include: *''Le ...

'' ( Jepson Manual). ;Selected species * ''

Linanthus bellus ''Linanthus bellus'' is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name desertbeauty. It is known only from northern Baja California and eastern San Diego County, California, where it grows in high desert chap ...

'' (Gray) Greene * ''

Linanthus bigelovii ''Linanthus bigelovii'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name Bigelow's linanthus. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico where it grows mainly in dry habitat, such as the Sonor ...

'' (A. Gray) Greene * ''

Linanthus concinnus ''Linanthus concinnus'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name San Gabriel linanthus. It is endemic to the San Gabriel Mountains in the Los Angeles area, where it occurs in dry, rocky habitat in chaparral an ...

'' Milliken * ''

Linanthus demissus ''Linanthus demissus'' (humble gilia or desertsnow) is a small flowering plant found in the Mojave Desert of the southwestern United States, from southeastern California east to Arizona and southern Utah. Description It is an annual plant with d ...

'' (A. Gray) Greene * ''

Linanthus dianthiflorus ''Linanthus dianthiflorus'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names fringed linanthus and ground pink. The annual wildflower is endemic to southern California, in the Peninsular Ranges, Transverse Ranges, a ...

'' (Benth.) Greene * ''

Linanthus dichotomus ''Linanthus dichotomus'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name eveningsnow. It is native to western North America, including most of the southwestern United States, where it is a common member of the flora ...

'' Benth. * ''

Linanthus filiformis ''Linanthus filiformis'' (formerly ''Gilia filiformis'') is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name yellow gilia. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it grows in rocky desert and plateau habita ...

'' (Parry ex A. Gray) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson * ''

Linanthus inyoensis ''Linanthus inyoensis'' (formerly ''Gilia inyoensis'') is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name Inyo gilia. It is native to eastern California and western Nevada, where it is a common member of the flora in s ...

'' (I.M.Johnst.) J.M.Porter & L.A.Johnson * '' Linanthus jonesii'' (A. Gray) Greene * '' Linanthus killipii'' H. Mason * '' Linanthus maculatus'' (Parish) Milliken * '' Linanthus orcuttii'' (Parry & A. Gray) Jeps. * '' Linanthus parryae'' (A. Gray) Greene * '' Linanthus pungens'' (Torr.) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson * '' Linanthus watsonii'' (A. Gray) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson ;Species formerly treated in ''Linanthus'', now transferred to ''

'': * ''Leptosiphon acicularis'' * ''Leptosiphon ambiguus'' * ''Leptosiphon androsaceus'' * ''Leptosiphon arenicola'' * ''Leptosiphon aureus'' * ''Leptosiphon bicolor'' * ''Leptosiphon bolanderi'' * ''Leptosiphon breviculus'' * ''Leptosiphon ciliatus'' * ''Leptosiphon filipes'' * ''Leptosiphon floribundus'' * ''Leptosiphon grandiflorus'' * ''Leptosiphon harknessii'' * ''Leptosiphon lemmonii'' * ''Leptosiphon liniflorus'' * ''Leptosiphon montanus'' * ''Leptosiphon nudatus'' * ''Leptosiphon nuttallii'' * ''Leptosiphon oblanceolatus'' * ''Leptosiphon pachyphyllus'' * ''Leptosiphon parviflorus'' * ''Leptosiphon pygmaeus'' * ''Leptosiphon rattanii'' * ''Leptosiphon septentrionalis'' * ''Leptosiphon serrulatus''

References

Jepson Manual: ''Linanthus''
*Robert W. Patterson (1977) '' Madroño'' 24: 36–48 Polemoniaceae genera Flora of California {{Polemoniaceae-stub