Smallflower Dwarf Flax

Hesperolinon micranthum (A. Gray) Small
Linum micranthum A. Gra3', Proc. Am. Acad. 7 : 333. 1868.
Plants 1-4 dm. tall, the stem commonly simple at the base, dichotomous or branched and with dichotomous branches above, somewhat glaucous and more or less minutely pubescent especially about the nodes ; leaf-blades narrowly linear, or those of the lower stem-leaves narrowly linear-spatulate, mostly 1-3 cm. long, acute or acutish, entire, more or less involute ; bracts similar to the leaves but smaller ; pedicels filiform, stiff ; flowers mostly nodding; outer sepals oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, becoming 2.5-3.5 mm. long, with few irregularly-placed glandular teeth ; inner sepals slightly smaller than the outer ones and more copiously glandular-toothed; petals white or pale-pink, mostly 3-5 mm.
long; capsules ovoid, about 2.5 mm. long, about equaling the sepals.
Type locality : Mount Bullion, Mariposa County, California. Distribution : Oregon to middle California.

Hesperolinon micranthum is a species of flowering plant in the flax family known by the common name smallflower dwarf flax. It is native to the west coast of North America from Oregon to Baja California. It may occur in Nevada. It grows in a number of open habitats, often on serpentine soils. This is a spindly annual herb producing a very thin stem 5 to 20 centimeters in height. Its small, sparse leaves are linear in shape. The tiny flowers have five white or pink-veined white petals each less than four millimeters long and protruding stamens with white or purple anthers.