124 BRITISH BOTANY. 



of the young shoots^ and by the robust appearance of the trunk 

 and branches. — Arb. and Fruticet., voL i. p. 373. 



HYPERICACE^, DC. The St. John's-wort Family. 



Perennial^ herbaceous, often half-shrubby plants. Leaves en- 

 tire, opposite, sessile or nearly so. Flowers regular and perfect, 

 yellow, usually panicled or corymbose. Calyx persistent, con- 

 sisting of 5, rarely of 4 sepals, imbricate in prefloration. Petals 

 5, rarely 4, withering, twisted in prefloration. Stamens indefinite. 

 Filaments united by their base, and forming 3-5 bundles opposite 

 to the petals ; anthers 2-lobed, introrse. Ovary free, containing 

 3-5 carpels. Ovules attached to the internal (central) angle of 

 the cells, or to parietal placentas. Styles 3-5, free. Fruit cap- 

 sular, many-seeded, 3-5-celled, rarely 1 -celled, opening by the 

 partitions (septicidal dehiscence), rarely baccate (like a berry), 

 and not opening. Seeds small, cylindrical or oblong. Perisperm 

 wanting. Embryo straight. Radicle towards the hilum. 



Hypericum, Lm. — Sepals either free or cohering at their base. 

 Stamens indefinite, in 3 or 5 parcels. 



Sect. I. Stamens in 3 parcels (triaclelphous). Capsule 3-celled, 3-valved. 



H. perforatum, Liu. Common St. John's-wori. — e.b. 295. 

 L.B.S. 215. 



A. 16. C. 80. Lat. 50-61°. Alt. 0-200 yds. Tem.'52-46°. 



Stem erect, smooth, reddish, branched and leafy. Leaves 

 small, with pellucid dots, linear-oblong, mostly obtuse, sessile. 

 Sepals lanceolate or linear, acute, spreading both in flower and in 

 fruit. Petals usually oblique, twice the length of the sepals, often 

 marked with black dots near the margin. Ovary about as long 

 as the sepals. 



Woods, banks, etc. Perennial ; July- September. 



Var. j3. angustifolium. — Sepals lanceolate, denticulate (Babing- 

 ton), rather longer than the ovary. 



H. quadrangulum, Lin. — H. tetrapterum, Fries. Square- 

 stalked St. John^s-ioort, or St. Peter's-wort. — e.b. 370. l.b.s. 217. 

 A. 17. C. 75. Lat. 50-58°. Alt. 0-300 yds. Tern. 52-46°. 



Stems erect or ascending, glabrous, leafy, with 4 prominently 

 winged angles and erect branches. Leaves oblong, half-clasping, 

 with minute pellucid dots, and transparent primary and secondary 

 nerves ; the young and upper leaves have black dots at the mar- 



