Linum lewisii Pursh

Herbs, perennial, 5–80 cm, glabrous or glabrate throughout, ± glaucous. Stems erect to spreading or ascending, branched from near base and in inflorescence. Leaves: blade linear to linear-lanceolate or linear-oblanceolate, 5–30 × 0.5–3(–4.5) mm. Inflorescences open panicles or racemes. Pedicels 5–20 mm. Flowers homostylous; sepals elliptic or elliptic-ovate, 3.5–6 mm, margins glabrous, apex acute; petals usually blue, sometimes white, base whitish or yellowish, cuneate-obovate, 6–23 mm; stamens 3–10 mm; anthers 1–2.2 mm; staminodia present; styles distinct, 2–12 mm; stigmas thickened ellipsoid-capitate. Capsules ovoid globose, 4–8 × 5–6 mm, apex acute, segments ± persistent on plant, margins arachnoid-ciliate. Seeds 2.5–5 × 1.5–3 mm. 2n = 18.

It is a temperate plant. It grows on dry hillsides and meadows near the treeline in the Rocky Mountains.

The seeds are cooked and eaten. They also add flavour to other foods. They can be dried and ground into flour. Caution: Flax seeds should not be eaten raw.