Ural flax (Linum uralense Juz.) is a herbaceous perennial plant from the flax family, primarily distributed in the steppe zone from the Volga River to the Southern Ural, including regions such as the Republic of Bashkortostan, Orenburg, Samara, Saratov, Tatarstan, and Chelyabinsk regions. The plant is characterized by shoots with flowers and buds, inflorescences, stems, and leaves, forming a flowering plant. Ural flax grows in sparse petrophyte communities on limestones, dolomites, and limestone shales, which defines its specific ecological niche.
This species is under threat of extinction and is included in the Red Data Books, due to limited population size—about 1,000 generative individuals—as well as factors limiting its distribution, such as weak ecological plasticity, steppe fires, livestock grazing, and marble mining. Ural flax is a rare and valuable representative of the region's flora, requiring protection and careful handling.
In contrast to Ural flax, the oil flax variety belonging to Linum usitatissimum L. var. intermedia is mid-season and recommended for cultivation in various regions of Russia. It differs with high fat content in seeds (from 42.5% to 46.8%) and significant yield (up to 16 c/ha), as well as resistance to shattering. However, these characteristics refer to a different species and are not related to Ural flax.
