158 A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 



Flowers mostly in loose clusters, the 5 sepals not united. 

 {Hypericaceae.) There are many species, a few of which 

 are shrubs, and some of the herbs have almost woody stems. 

 Those included here may be distinguished: 



Tall, almost shrubby, 2-6 ft. high. ...Giant St. John's-wort no. 473 

 Low, scarcely shrubby, mostly under 2 ft. high 



Flowers about ^ in. wide or more ; stamens numerous, 

 Leaves of an oblong type 



Leaves pointed; a swamp plant 



Creeping St. John's-wort no. 474 



Leaves blunt at the tip; a plant of fields or waste places 



Common St. John's-wort no. 475 



Leaves of an oval type 



Petals conspicuously black-dotted 



Spotted St. John's-wort no. 476 



Petals not dotted Pale St. John's-wort no. 477 



Flowers % in. wide or less; stamens 5-12 

 Leaves oval, about Y^ in. long.. Dwarf St. John's-wort no. 478 



Leaves oblong or linear, usually less than ^ in. long 



Canadian St. John's-wort no. 479 



For related species see nos. 413 and '483. 



473. Giant St. John's-wort, Hypericum Ascyron. A stout, 

 almost woody perennial herb from 2-6 ft. tall growing along 

 stream banks, and in other wet places. Leaves opposite, essen- 

 tially stalkless, pointed at the tip, and broadest towards the 

 base, 2^-4 in. long. Flowers 1-2 in. across, the 5 petals 

 oblong. Quebec and Vermont to N. J. and Penn., thence 

 westward. July. Fig. 473. 



474. Creeping St. John's-wort. Hypericum adpressum. An 

 erect, scarcely branched herb, 1-2 ft. high, arising from a 

 creeping spongy base. Leaves opposite, stalkless, oblong, i- 

 i^ in. long. Flowers about ^ in. wide, in a loose leafy 

 cluster. Moist places. Mass. to Georgia, and Louisiana, along 

 the coast, and from Missouri and Arkansas in the interior. 



July. 



475. Common St. John's-wort. Hypericum perforatum. A 

 .weed of fields and waste places throughout North America. 

 Somewhat woody, usually much branched, not over 2 ft. tall. 

 Foliage and flowers very like No. 474, but the petals con- 

 spicuously black dotted. June-Sept. Native of Eurasia. Fig. 

 475. 



