414 FLOWERS OF FIELD, HILL, AND SWAMP 



8. St. Peter's-wort 



Ascyrum sfdns ("without roughness"). — J^ami/v, St. John's- 

 wort. Co/or, yellow. Leaves, opposite, oval, black -dotted, 

 partly clasping. T/f/ie, summer. 



Sepals, 4, the 2 outer much broader than the inner, leaf-like. 

 Petals, 4. Stamens, many. Fruit, a pod, i -celled, but valved 

 and divided 2 or 4 times. The blossoms are showy, single. 

 The stem is flattish, i to 2 feet high. Whole plant smooth and 

 leafy. 



g. St. Andrew's Cross 



A. Crux Andreae, also found in pine barrens, is lower than 

 the 'last, with narrower and thinner leaves. The petals are 

 linear, not longer than the sepals, and spread 2 on each side, 

 approaching each other in the form of the letter X, or the cross 

 of St. Andrew. 



This and the preceding are low and shrubby plants, found in 

 pine barrens along the Atlantic coast. 



ID. Canada St. John's-wort 



Hypericum Canad&nse. — Family, St. John's-wort. Color, 

 deep yellow. Leaves, long, narrow, obtuse, 3-nerved at base, 

 dotted. Time, June to October. 



Sepals and petals, 5. Stajuens, usually about 12, in 3 groups ; 

 sometimes 5 in a single row. Flowers, in leafless, cymose clus- 

 ters, less than \ inch broad. Pods, longer than the calyx, 

 pointed, i-celled. Stems, square, straight, upright, 6 to 15 

 inches high, with ascending branches. Common. 



II 



Li. virgatnm grows somewhat higher than the last, with 

 oblong, lance -shaped, upright leaves, and flowers scattered 

 along small branches, making a compound cyme. Styles, 3, 

 separate. Color of flowers a coppery yellow. 



New Jersey and southward, in wet pine barrens. 



