HYPERICACEAE 791 



obovate, elliptic-obovate or elliptic, 0.5-2 cm. long, rounded at the apex or retuse, pale 

 beneath, narrowed into short petioles: flowers solitary or a few (.3) in terminal cymes: 

 sepals obovate or spatulate, 4-5 mm. long, obtuse : corolla yellow, 2-2.5 cm. broad : petals 

 rather delicate, about twice as long as the sepals : styles mostly 3 : capsules conic, 6-10 mm. 

 long, 3-celled. 



On cliffs and rocky mountain summits, North Carolina to South Carolina and Georgia. Summer. 



29. Hypericum prolificum L. Perennial, shrubby. Stems 3-12 dm. tall with 

 erect or ascending branches, the branchlets narrowly 2-winged : leaf-blades narrowly 

 oblong or rarely lanceolate, 2-8 cm. long, acute, usually slightly revolute, narrowed 

 into short petioles : flowers mostly 2-3 in short-peduncled axillary cymes forming narrowly 

 cylindric panicles or sometimes solitary : sepals usually 5, unequal, mostly obovate, 4-6 

 mm. long : corolla deep yellow, 1.5-2 cm. broad : stamens very numerous, distinct : styles 

 3 or rarely 4 : capsules conic or narrowly ovoid, 8-10 mm. long, 3-celled. 



In sandy soil or rocky places, New Jersey to Minnesota, Georgia and Arkansas. Summer. 



30. Hypericum densiflorum Pursh. Perennial, shruVjby- Stems slender, often 

 diffusely branched, 6-lS dm. tall, with narrowly winged branchlets : leaf-blades linear, 

 linear-oblanceolate or linear-oblong, 1-5 cm. long, acute, more or less revolute, narrowed 

 into short petioles, small leaves usually clustered in the axils : flowers in terminal, mostly 

 dense, corymbose cymes : sepals unequal, oblong to elliptic-oblong, 2-2.5 mm. long: corolla 

 bright yellow, 1-1.5 cm. broad: petals obliquely pointed: stamens numerous, distinct: 

 styles mostly 3 : capsules ovoid, 4-6 mm. long, slightly 3-lobed, completely 3-celled. 



In swamps and on river banks, New Jersey to Missouri, Florida and Texas. Summer. 



31. Hypericum lobocarpum Gattinger. Perennial, shrubby. Stems 1-2 m. tall, 

 with erect or strongly ascending branches, the twigs and branches of the inflorescence nar- 

 rowly winged : leaf -blades narrowly oblong or oblanceolate, 2-7 cm. long, obtuse or apicu- 

 late, more or less revolute, sessile or narrowed into short, winged petioles : cymes dense, in 

 corymbose or cylindric panicles: flowers numerous : sepals oblong to obovate-oblong, 2.5- 

 3.5 mm. long, rather obtuse : corolla yellow, 1-1.5 cm. broad : petals rather cuneate : 

 styles usually 5 : capsules 5-celled, 5-lobed, 5-7 mm. long, separating into 5 carpels at 

 maturity. 



In swamps and low grounds, North Carolina and Tennessee. Spring and summer. 



4. SAROTHRA L. 



Firm-fleshy herbs, with erect branched stems and more or less black-dotted foliage. 

 Leaves reduced to erect or appressed scales ; these very short or somewhat elongated but 

 destitute of blades. Flowers scattered along the branchlets, forming open or irregular 

 cymes. Sepals 5, equal or nearly so, short or elongated. Petals 5, nearly equal. Sta- 

 mens 5-20, shorter than the petals. Glands none. Ovary 1-celled, sessile. Styles 3, dis- 

 tinct. Ovules several or numerous on the parietal placentae. Capsule more or less elon- 

 gated, 1-celled, as long as the appressed sepals or much longer. Seeds ribbed or striate 

 and pitted. 



Flowers sessile or nearly so : sepals much shorter than the conic capsules. 1. S. gentianoides. 



Flowers pedicelled : sepals and ovoid or oval-ovoid capsules about equal in length. 2. S. Drummondii. 



1. Sarothra gentianoides L. Annual, somewhat fleshy, but rather rigid. Stems 

 1-5 dm. tall, often bushy-branched, or rarely simple, the branches wire-like, mostly 

 opposite, sometimes filiform : leaves scale-like, appressed, often subulate or those on the 

 lower part of the stem sometimes linear or narrowly-oblong : flowers scattered along the 

 branches, sessile or nearly so : sepals linear or linear-lanceolate, 2-3 mm. long, acute or 

 acuminate : corolla yellow, 4-8 mm. broad : stamens 5-10 : capsules conic, 4-5 mm. long, 

 much surpassing the sepals. [Hypericum Sarothra Michx.] 



In sandy soil and on rocks, Maine to Minnesota, Florida and Texas. Spring to fall. Pine-weed. 



PiNE-TASSLE. ORANGE-GEASS. 



2. Sarothra Drummondii Grev. & Hook. Annual, rigid. Stems 1-6 dm. tall, 

 simple or bushy-branched, strongly wing-angled, the branches alternate : leaves scale-like, 

 narrowly linear or linear-subulate, erect or strongly ascending, 1-ribbed : cymes elon- 

 gated : flowers scattered along the upper parts of tlie branches, pedicelled : sepals linear- 

 lanceolate, 3-4 mm. long, strongly nervecl or slightly keeled below : corolla yellow, 10-12 

 mm. broad : stamens 10-20 : capsules ovoid, or oval-ovoid, shorter than the sepals or 

 rarely longer. [Hypericum Drummondii (Grev. & Hook. ) T. & G. ] 



In dry soil, Virginia to Missouri, Florida and Texas. Summer. 



