HYPERICACEAE 785 



Styles 2 : inner sepals very small, petal-like or obsolete. 

 "Peduncles reflexed at maturity : calyx without bractlets, conspicuously surpassing the leaves. 



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. 3. A. multicaule. 



Styles 3-4 : inner sepals slightly smaller than the outer. 



Leaf-blades merely sessile : outer sepals fully as broad as long. 4. A. cunetfolium. 



Leaf-blades clasping : outer sepals longer than broad. 



Outer sepals broader than the leaf-blades : inner sepals shorter than the outer. 5. A. stans. 

 Outer sepals narrower than the leaf-blades : inner sepals as long as the outer. 6. A. tetrapctalum. 



1. 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 : newel's 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. 



3. Aacyrum multicaule 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 cuneifolium 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 cm. broad : petals obovate, delicately striped : capsules ovoid, 7-8 

 mm. long, abruptly pointed. 



In low pine lands, Florida. Summer and fall. 



5. Ascyrum stans 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 

 peduncles, subtended by 2 small bractlets : sepals thick, the outer broadly ovate or subor- 

 bicular, 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. 



In swamps or moist sandy soil, Long Island to Pennsylvania, Florida and Texas. Summer to 

 winter. 



6. Ascyrum tetrapctalum (Lam.) Vail. A showy shrub 2-9 dm. tall, with forking 

 stems. Leaves mostly approximate; blades leathery, ovate to oval, 0.8-3.5 cm. long, ob- 

 tuse or acutish, conspicuously punctate, sessile and clasping : pedicels 3-12 mm. long, 

 often subtended by 2 bractlets : sepals leathery, the outer resembling the leaves, 8-15 mm. 

 long, 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 as long as 

 the sepals. [A. amplexicaule Michx. ] 



In moist sandy soil, Georgia and Florida. Spring to fall. 

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