HYPERICACE^E ST. JOHN'S WORT FAMILY 



Ascyrum hypcricoides, L. 



Pale yellow St. Andrew's Cross. 



July-August 



Ascyrum: ancient Greek name of some plant probably of 



this family. 

 Hypericoides: (Greek) resembling the Hypericum. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: dry, sandy roadsides of the 

 Commons. 



THE PLANT: somewhat spreading, five inches to ten 

 inches high; the stem much branched from the base; the 

 branches low-spreading or slightly erect; both stem and 

 branches somewhat woody, flattened and two-edged. 



THE LEAVES: opposite; pale yellow green, often tinged with 

 red; narrowly oblong or obovate; thin; sometimes over 

 an inch long, but usually shorter; obtuse at the apex; 

 narrowed at the base; sessile; entire. 



THE FLOWERS: terminal or axillary on short pedicels, with 

 two bracts just below and supporting the flowers; the 

 petals are arranged but slightly in the form of a cross- 

 two below for the lower limb and two above for the 

 upper limb and side-arms. 



THE FRUIT: a capsule. 



A low, branching plant, which often spreads out into 

 patches of considerable size, that is almost as noticeable 

 for the small, light green oblong leaves, as for the lemon 

 yellow flowers, whose four petals, are arranged in the shape 

 of a St. Andrew's cross. 



It is an interesting fact, from the point of view of dis- 

 tribution, that Nantucket is both the northern and the 

 eastern limit of its range. 



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