What is "linum catharticum"

Purging \Pur"ging\, a. That purges; cleansing.

Purging flax (Bot.), an annual European plant of the genus Linum ( Linum catharticum); dwarf wild flax; -- so called from its use as a cathartic medicine.

Linum catharticum, also known as purging flax, or fairy flax, is an herbaceous flowering plant in the family Linaceae, native to Great Britain, central Europe and Western Asia. It is an annual plant and blooms in July and August.