HY PERICACEAE 785 
Styles 2: inner sepals very small, petal-like or obsolete. 
Peduncles reflexed at maturity : calyx without bractlets, conspicuously surpassing the leaves. 
Í 1. A. pumilum. 
Peduncles not recurved: calyx subtended by a pair of bractlets, not conspicu- 
ously surpassing the leaves. 
Outer sepals cuneate-obovate to oblong-lanceolate or oblong, about as long as 
the capsule. 2. A. hypericoides. 
Outer sepals ovate or oblong-ovate, often much longer than the capsules. 8. A. multicaule. 
Styles 8-4: inner sepals slightly smaller than the outer. 
Leaf-blades merely sessile: outer sepals fully as broad as long. 4. A. cuneifolium, 
Leaf-blades clasping : outer sepals longer than broad. 
Outer sepals broader than the leaf-blades: inner sepalsshorter than the outer. 5. A. stans. 
Outer sepals narrower than the leaf-blades: inner sepals as long as the outer. 6. A. tetrapetalum. 
l. Ascyrum pumilum Michx. A low or depressed shrubby plant, with diffusely 
branched stems, the spreading 2-edged or 2-winged branches 5-20 cm. long. Leaves 
numerous; blades oval, obovate or linear-oblong, often cuneately narrowed at the base, 
3-9 mm. long, obtuse, sessile: peduncles slender, 1-2 cm. long or shorter, finally recurved : 
sepals very unequal, the 2 outer ovate or suborbicular, 6-10 mm. long, obtuse or acutish, the 
2 inner obsolete or nearly so: corolla bright yellow, 1.5-2 cm. broad: petals cuneate or 
obovate: capsules oblong or oval-oblong, about 5 mm. long. 
In sandy soil, Georgia and Florida. Spring and summer. 
2. Ascyrum hypericoides L. A low diffusely branched shrubby plant, with irreg- 
ular stems varying from 1-5 dm. long. Leaves conspicuously numerous, rather crowded 
on the branchlets; blades narrowly linear, 0.5-1.5 cm. long, acute, somewhat revolute, 
sessile: flowers few in narrow terminal racemes or panicled cymes: sepals very unequal, 
the outer cuneate-obovate to oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 7-9 mm. long, acute or rather 
obtuse, the inner sepals manifest, petaloid : petals yellow : capsules oblong, about as long 
as the outer sepals. 
In sandy soil, Florida to Texas, mainly introduced from tropical America. Spring to fall. ST. 
ANDREW'S CROSS. : 
S. Ascyrum multicaüle Michx. A shrubby plant 1-9 dm. tall with a solitary or 
several erect ascending or decumbent stems. Leaves commonly numerous, sometimes con- 
spicuously so; blades linear-spatulate to oblanceolate, oblong or obovate-oblong, 1-3.5 cm. 
long, obtuse, acutish or sometimes minutely mucronate: flowers few: sepals very unequal, 
the outer ovate or oblong-ovate, 6-9 mm. long, obtuse or acute at the apex, truncate or 
subcordate at the base, the inner sepals manifest, petaloid : capsules oblong-ovoid or nearly 
oblong, as long as the outer sepals or shorter. : 
In low grounds or on dry hillsides and in thickets, Massachusetts to Illinois, south to Florida and 
Texas. Spring to fall. 
..4. Ascyrum cuneifdlium Chapm. A shrubby plant 1-2 dm. tall, with erect, 
widely branching stems. Leaves few; blades leathery, cuneate or obovate, 5-20 mm. 
long, obtuse, minutely black punctate, sessile: flowers few : sepals thick, the 2 outer sub- 
orbicular, 1-1.5 cm. long, the 2 inner oblong or nearly so, shorter than the outer : corolla 
bright yellow, 2.5-3 em. broad: petals obovate, delicately striped: capsules ovoid, 7-8 
. mm. long, abruptly pointed. 
Inlow pine lands, Florida. Summer and fall. 
5. Ascyrum stáns Michx. A branching shrubby plant 3-9 dm. tall, with erect 
stems, the branches 2-edged or 2-winged. Leaves rather numerous; blades leathery, ob- 
long-elliptic varying to obovate, 1-4 cm. long, obtuse, spreading or ascending, sessile, 
partially clasping : cymes few-flowered: pedicels stout, 4-10 mm. long, longer than the 
eduncles, subtended by 2 small bractlets: sepals thick, the outer broadly ovate or subor- 
icular, 8-15 mm. long, obtuse, cordate, the inner lanceolate, shorter than the outer: 
corolla bright yellow, 2.5-4 cm. broad: petals somewhat persistent: styles 3-4, short: 
capsules ovoid, 7-9 mm. long, abruptly pointed. 
e swamps or moist sandy soil, Long Island to Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas. Summer to 
6. Ascyrum tetrapétalum (Lam.) Vail A showy shrub 2-9 dm. tall, with forking 
Stems. Leaves mostly rier: E leathery, ovate to oval .0.8-3.5 em. long, ob- 
tuse or acutish, cons icuously punctate, sessile and clasping : pedicels 3-12 mm. long, 
often subtended by 2 bractlets: sepals leathery, the outer resembling the leaves, 8-15 mm. 
ong, acute or short-acuminate, the 2 inner lanceolate or linear, about as long as the outer 
ones: corolla bright yellow, 2-3 cm. broad: styles 3: capsules ovoid, about 3 as long as 
the sepals. [A. amplexicaule Michx. } 
In moist sandy soil, Georgia and Florida. Spring to fall. 
' 50 
