1632 



HYPERICUM 



HYPERICUM 



woody than most species, of stiff, dense habit, top often 

 globular like a miniature tree, with thin, exfoliating red 

 bark, the branchlets 2-edged: Ivs. ovate-oblong to 

 oblong, mucronate, bluish, pale below, leathery, 1-3 in. 

 long: fls. sessile, solitary in the native state, in cymes of 

 several in cult., 1-2 in. diam., bright yellow, heightened 

 by the golden filaments at the center; sepals If .-like, 

 obovate, very unequal, shorter than the thick, broad 

 petals, which persist until withered; stamens distinct, 

 very numerous; styles connate: caps, ovate, acuminate, 

 red, not furrowed, nearly H m - long. July- Aug. Affects 

 rocky situations when wild, generally shady, where 

 moisture is longest retained, from S. C. to Tenn., Ga. 

 and Texas, but perfectly hardy in Mass. B.M. 8498. 

 Gn. W. 20:934. G.F. 2:185 (adapted in Fig. 1941). 

 Prop, by seeds and cuttings, young plants from seed 

 blooming the second year. 



15. nudifldrum, Michx. Shrub or subshrub, 1-3 ft.: 

 branchlet 4-angled: Ivs. sessile, elliptic-oblong to ellip- 

 tic-lanceolate, obtuse, flat, thin, pale above and below, 

 l-2}/2 in- long: fls. light yellow, K-%UI. across, in 

 naked, peduncled, loose corymbs 2-5 in. broad; sepals 

 elliptic-oblong to elliptic-oblanceolate; styles united: 

 caps, conic-ovate, Min. long. July-Aug. N. C. to Fla. 

 and Ala. 



16. Buckleii, Curtis. Later written Buckleyi. Dense 

 shrub, with slender, 4-angled sts. forming neat, rounded 

 tufts not more than 1 ft. high: Ivs. bluish, obovate to 

 elliptic, M~l in. long, rounded at the apex, gradually 

 narrowed at the base, pale below, becoming scarlet 

 in autumn: fls. solitary or in cymes of 3, 1 in. diam.; 

 sepals obovate, obtuse; petals striated and strap- 

 shaped; styles connate: caps, conic-ovoid, about Kin. 

 long. June, July. Found only in the highest moun- 

 tains of the Carolinas and Ga. G.F. 4:581. Adapted 

 to rockeries and margins of small shrubberies. 



17. adpressum, Bart. (H. fastigidtum, Ell.). Prac- 

 tically a herbaceous perennial, erect from a creeping or 

 decumbent base, growing in dense masses, K-2 ft. tall: 

 Ivs. oblong or lanceolate, 1-2 in. long, acute, thin: fl. 

 yellow, Kin. across in several-fld. terminal cymes; 

 sepals lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate: caps, ovoid, 

 slender-beaked. July, Aug. Moist places, Nantucket, 

 Mass, to Ga. and La. B.B. (ed. 2) 2:531. Spreads 

 rapidly by underground stolons, suggesting occasional 

 use as a ground-cover. Not very hardy in New England. 



18. cistifolium, Lam. (H. sphserocdrpum, Michx.). 

 Upright perennial or subshrub, with 4-angled sts., 

 1-3 ft. high: Ivs. sessile, often slightly clasping, oblong 

 or linear-oblong, obtuse, revolute, 1-3 in. long: fls. 

 yellow, Kin. across, nearly sessile, in terminal, loose 

 corymbs; sepals ovate to lanceolate: caps, globose to 

 globose-ovoid, 1-celled. July-Sept. Ohio to 111., Ala., 

 and Ark. B.B. (ed. 2) 2 : 532. Satisfactory in light, 

 sandy soil. Spreads rapidly by stoloniferous roots, 

 covering the soil and preventing washing. Not very 

 ornamental. Half-hardy N. 



Section EUHYPERICUM. 



19. perforatum, Linn. Herbaceous perennial, 1-2 

 ft., with upright, 2-edged sts.: Ivs. sessile, oblong to 

 linear, obtuse, black-dotted, K~l in. long: fls. bright 

 yellow, K-l in. across, in terminal cymes; sepals 

 acute; stamens in 3 fascicles: caps, ovoid, glandular. 

 June-Sept. Eu., now commonly naturalized in fields 

 and waste places. B.B. (ed. 2)2:533. R.F.G. 6:343 

 (5177). 



Section WEBBIA. 



20. floribundum, Dry. A subshrub, with round, 

 glabrous sts.: Ivs. lanceolate-elliptic, rounded at the 

 base; light green; without dots, 1-1 K in. long: fls. 

 in terminal, many-fld. panicles, 1K~2 in. diam., with 

 dilated peduncles; sepals ovate-lanceolate, somewhat 

 .acute; stamens numerous, in 3 fascicles, petals and 



stamens persistent; ovary oval; styles long, divergent, 

 with capitate stigmas. From the Canary and Madeira 

 Isls. Not hardy N., but in cult, in S. Calif. Grows very 

 rapidly to the height of about 12 ft. or more, but it is 

 usually kept lower by topping it after blooming and 

 thus making it bloom again in about two months. Gen- 

 erally prop, from seeds, which are produced freely. 



Section ANDROS^EMUM. 



21. hircinum, Linn. Glabrous subshrub of round, 

 compact habit, 2-3 ft. high, the branches winged toward 

 the tips: Ivs. sessile, ovate-lanceolate, acute, glandular, 

 1-2 K in. long, deep green: fls. 1-1 K in. wide, solitary 

 or 3-clustered; sepals lanceolate, deciduous, one-third 

 to one-fourth the length of the lance-oblong petals, 

 which are of a deeper yellow than in the other species; 

 stamens very long, in 5 fascicles; styles spreading, 

 longer than the stamens: caps, ovoid, pointed. July, 

 Aug. W.D.B. 2:86. Species characterized by the 

 strong, goat-like odor of the Ivs. (hence the name). Of 

 easy cult., but requiring a dry position and winter pro- 

 tection. Medit. region. Var. pumilum, Wats. (var. 

 minor, Lav.). Dwarf er, with smaller Ivs. and fls.; as 

 pretty and free-blooming as the type, and, in the rock- 

 garden, preferable. W.D.B. 2:87. 



22. elatum, Dry. (H. grandifdlium, Choisy. H. 

 multifldrum, Hort., not HBK. Androssemum Web- 

 bidnum, Spach) . Shrub or subshrub, 3-4 ft. high, with 

 slightly 2-edged branchlets: Ivs. ovate-oblong, acute or 

 obtusish, often subcordate at the base, 1K~3 in. long: 

 fls. 1-1 K in. across, in several- to many-fld. terminal 

 panicles; sepals ovate or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse or 

 sometimes acutish, about J^in. long; stamens in 5 

 fascicles; styles longer than ovary: caps, ovate-oblong. 

 July. Canary Isls., Madeira. R.F.G. 6:352. W.&.B. 

 2:85. H. multifldrum, Hort., has been considered a 

 hybrid between H. elatum and H. Androsasmum, but the 

 plant cult, at the Arnold Arboretum does not show any 

 influence of the latter species and is apparently only a 

 form of H. elatum with more numerous and somewhat 

 smaller fls. 



23. Androsaemum, Linn. (Andrdsasmum officinole, 

 All.). SWEET AMBER. COMMON TUTSAN. A dense 

 undershrub with erect, 2-edged sts. : Ivs. ovate to ovate- 

 oblong, 2-4 in. long, subcordate, minutely dotted, 

 dark green, whitish below: fls. solitary or in cymes of 

 3-9, large, light yellow, 1 in. across; sepals ovate, 

 K-Kin. long; stamens in 5 clusters, longer than the 

 petals; ovary subglobular or oval, incompletely 3- 

 celled; styles divergent, persistent, shorter than ovary: 

 fr. berry-like, blackish violet, the size of a pea. June- 

 Sept. Lives in shady, wet places, W. and S. Eu. to 

 Persia. Not yet proved hardy at the N. Fls. not 

 particularly attractive, but good in fr. and foliage. All 

 parts very aromatic. 



Section ELODEA (Triademun). 



24. virginicum, Linn. (Triodenum virginicum, Raf. 

 Elodea campanuldta, Pursh. Elodea virginica, Nutt.). 

 MARSH ST. JOHN'S-WORT. Smooth perennial, 1-1 K ft. 

 high, nearly simple: Ivs. numerous, oblong or oval, cor- 

 date, clasping, rounded, 1-2K in. long: fls. K m - diam., 

 pink- or flesh-colored, in small, close cymes; sepals 

 equal; petals oblong; stamens at least 9 in 3 sets; styles 

 distinct: caps, oblong. July, Aug. In swamps, Labrador 

 to Fla. west to Man., Neb. and La. B.B. (ed. 2) 

 2:537. Useful plant for an artificial bog, and thrives 

 well also in any fine, loamy soil in the shade or sun. 



H. segyptiacum. Linn. Dwarf shrub: Ivs. crowded, elliptic, acute, 

 ^4-^iin. long: fls. solitary, axillary, J^-^in. across, forming leafy 

 racemes; styles 3. Medit. region. B.M. 6481. G.C. II. 14:503. 

 B.R. 196. H . Arnoldi&num, Rehd. (H. galioides X H. lobocarpum). 

 Similar to H. galioides, but with a many-fld. terminal infl. and 

 several-fld. lateral infl. : caps. 3-5-celled. Originated at the Arnold 

 Arboretum. //. balearicum, Linn. Low upright shrub with the 

 Ivs. beneath and the twigs warty: Ivs. oval, obtuse, about }4in. 

 long: fls. \Yi in. across, solitary, terminal; styles 5. Medit. region. 



