Flax (also known as common flax or linseed) (binomial name: Linum usitatissimum) is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. It is known as Λινάρι (Linari) in Greek, आलस (Aalas) in Nepali, Agasi/Akshi in Kannada, Aazhi Vidhai in Tamil, जवस (Jawas/Javas) or अळशी (Alashi) in Marathi and अलसी (Alsi) in Hindi, তিসি (Tisi) in Bengali and అవిశలు (avisalu) in Telugu. Flax was extensively cultivated in ancient Ethiopia and ancient Egypt. In a prehistoric cave in the Republic of Georgia, dyed flax fibers have been found that date to 30,000 BC. New Zealand flax is not related to flax but was named after it, as both plants are used to produce fibers.
Linum (flax) is a genus of approximately 200 species in the flowering plant family Linaceae, native to temperate and subtropical regions of the world. It includes the Common Flax (L. usitatissimum), the bast fibre of which is used to produce linen and the seeds to produce linseed oil.
The flowers of most species are blue or yellow, rarely red, white, or pink, and some are heterostylous. There is an average of 6-10 seeds per boll.
Linum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Cabbage Moth, The Nutmeg, Setaceous Hebrew Character and Coleophora benedictella, which feeds exclusively on Linum narbonense.
Several flaxes are cultivated as garden ornamentals, including the blue-flowered species Linum lewisii, L. perenne, and L. narbonense, red-flowered L. grandiflorum, and yellow-flowered L. flavum.