428 



HYPERICACEAE. 



[VOL. II. 



innate, 2-celled, longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary i-y-celled, composed of 1-7 

 carpels; styles as many as the carpels; ovules oo, in 2 rows in each cavity, 

 anatropous. Fruit mainly capsular with septicidal dehiscence; seeds mainly 

 straight; endosperm none. 



About 10 genera and 280 species, natives of temperate and warm regions, a few extending into 

 sub-arctic or alpine districts. 



Sepals 4, in unequal pairs; petals 4. I. Ascyrutn. 



Sepals and petals 5. 



Petals yellow. 



Leaves normal, not reduced to scales. 2. Hyperituin. 



Leaves reduced to minute appressed scales. 3. Sarothm. 



Flowers pink or greenish purple. 4. Triadenmu. 



i. ASCYRUM L. Sp. PI. 787. 1753. 



Leafy glabrous low shrubs, with the aspect of Hypcricum. Flowers bright yellow. 

 Sepals 4, in 2 pairs, the exterior ones broad and round, the interior smaller and narrower. 

 Petals 4, oblique or slightly contorted, deciduous. Stamens oo, distinct, or united in clus- 

 ters. Ovary i-celled, with 2-4 parietal placentae; styles 2-4. Capsule i-celled, 2-4-valved, 

 dehiscent at the placentae. [Greek, not rough.] 



About 5 species, natives of eastern and southeastern North America, the West Indies and 

 Central America. 



Erect, i-a high; leaves clasping; styles 3-4. I. A. stans. 



Diffusely branched, s'-io' high; leaves sessile ; styles 2. 2. A. hypcricoides. 



i. Ascyrum st&ns Michx. St. Peter's- 

 vvort. (Fig. 2442.) 



i in slan.\ Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 77. 1803. 



Erect, simple or with a few upright branches, 

 i-2 high. Stems and branches 2-edged or 

 slightly winged; leaves clasping, erect or as- 

 cending, oval, or broadly oblong, 9 // -i8 // long, 

 5 "-7" wide, obtuse, thick; cyme terminal, few- 

 flowered; pedicels 4 // -6 // long, 2-bracted below 

 the middle; flowers W-\i" broad; outer 

 sepals nearly orbicular, 4 // -6 // long, cordate, the 

 inner lanceolate, 3 // -6 // long; petals obovate, 

 longer than the sepals; styles 3 or 4, short; cap- 

 sule ovoid, about 3" long. 



In dry sandy soil, especially in pine barrens, 

 Long Island, southern New Jersey and eastern 

 Pennsylvania to Florida, west to Texas. July-Aug. 



2. Ascyrum hypericoides L,. St. An- 

 drew's Cross. (Fig. 2443.) 



Ascyrum tiypericoides L. Sp. PI. 788. 1753. 

 Ascyrutn Crux-Andreae L. Sp. PI. Ed. 3, 1107. 1763. 

 Low, much branched from the base, diffuse or 

 ascending, 5'-io' high. Stems and branches 

 flattened and 2-edged; leaves oblong or obovate, 

 sessile, narrowed and 2-glandular at the base, 

 >'-:>' long, 2"-4" wide, thin, obtuse; flowers 

 terminal or also axillary; pedicels i"-$ /f long; 

 2-bracted near the summit; flowers 6"- 9" 

 broad; outer sepals oval or ovate, sometimes 

 cordate, 4 // -6 // long, 2 // -4 // wide, obtuse, the 

 inner narrower and mainly shorter; petals ob- 

 long-linear, about equalling the outer sepals; 

 styles 2; capsule ovoid, about i" long. 



In dry sandy soil, Nantucket, Mass., to Florida, 

 Illinois, the Indian Territory and Texas. Ascends to 

 2800 ft. in Virginia. July-Aug. 



