88 HYPERICACE^. Hypericxtm. 



§ 3. Stamens very numerous, more or less polyadelphous : capsule one-celled, with 3 (rarely 4) parietal 

 placentiB, which are often somewhat introflcxed but do not reach to the axis, hearing the seed on 

 the side next the axis. — Perennial herbs or low shrubs. 



5. Hypericum ellipticum, Hook FMiptical-leaved St. John's Wort. 



Stem herbaceous, quadrangular, simple below, somewhat branched at the summit ; leaves 

 elliptical, very obtuse, closely sessile, pellucid-punctate ; cyme nearly naked ; sepals oblong- 

 obovate, very unequal, two-thirds the length of the petals, spreading ; styles 3, connate to the 

 summit; stigmas very minute ; capsule ovoid-globose. — Hook. Jl. Bor. -Am. p. WO; Torr. ^ 

 Gr.fi. N. Am. 1. p. 164. H. sphaerocarpon, Bart. fl. Phil. 2. p. 14; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 16, 

 not of Michx. 



Plant about a foot or eighteen inches high, slender. Leaves nearly an inch long, and 4-5 

 lines wide, sometimes oval, a little narrowed at the base. Cyme usually 5- (7 - 15-) flowered : 

 the flowers 5-6 lines in diameter ; those in the forks of the cyme on pedicels about one line 

 long. Petals obovate. Capsule shorter than the calyx ; the placentae somewhat introflexed. 

 Seeds oval, very small and numerous, minutely striate and rugose. 



Moist grounds along rivers ; northern and western counties : rather rare. July. 



§ 4. Brathys, Mutis. Stamens 5 - 20, distinct: capsule l-celled, with 3 strictly parietal placenta : 



styles 3, distinct, short. Annual. 



* Stem simple beUm, dichotcmwusly cymose above, with, a fiowcr in each fork of the cyme. 



6. Hypericum mutilum, Linn. Small-Jlowered St. John's Wort. 



Stem quadrangular, usually much branched ; leaves ovate-oblong, obtuse, clasping, 5 

 nerved, pellucid-punctate; cymes leafy; sepals lanceolate, rather longer than the oblong 

 petals ; stamens 6 - 12 : capsule ovoid-conical. — Linn. syst. 2. p. 511 ; Torr. ^ Gr.fl. N. 

 Am. l.p. 164. H. quinquenervium, Walt.fl. Car. p. 190; Michx. fl. 2. p. 79; DC.prodr. 

 l.p. 550; Hook.fi. Bor.-Am. l.p. 110; Darlingt.fi. Cest.p.^ZS; Reichenb.fi. exot. t. 96. 

 H. parviflorum, Muhl. in Willd. sp. 3. p. 1457 ; Pursh, fi. 2. p. 376 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 24 ; 

 Bigel. fi, Bost. p. 280. Brathys quinquenervia, Spach in conspect. Hyper, in ann. sci. nat. 

 1836. 



Stem 6-12 inches high, slender, with numerous spreading branches. Leaves 6-10 lines 

 long, thin, the pellucid dots very minute ; lateral veins obscure. Flowers scarcely more than 

 two lines in diameter, pale yellow. Stigmas capitate. Capsule membranaceous. Seeds 

 cylindrical-oblong, minutely striate and rugose. 



Low grounds ; common. July September. 



