Linseed and flax are cultivars of Linum usitatissimum L. Linseed cultivars are grown for their seed alone; they have shorter and thicker sterns, reaching 60-80 cm in height when mature, more capsules and larger seeds than those of flax. Flax cultivars reach 80-120 cm in height, and are grown primarily for fibre for the linen industry, although the seed is also used and frequently termed 'linseed'.
