KEY TO THE COMMONLY CULTIVATED II V I'HIUCUMS 77 



Hyp6ricum. The ST. JOHN'S-WOHTS are an extensive genus (200 spe- 

 cies) of herbs, shrubs, and trees with more or less dotted, opposite, entire- 

 edged leaves and showy yellow (lowers with many stamens. The 5 oblique- 

 edged yellow petals, many stamens (frequently united into groups), and 

 the transparent-dotted opposite leaves are the peculiarities which will 



FIG. 47. Creeping St. John's- Wort. FIG. 48. Small-Leaved 



Hypericum. 



separate these plants from all others. About a dozen species are in culti- 

 vation. Several species are evergreen in the North, and others additional 

 to these hold their leaves through the winter South. Some are trailing 

 plants spreading over the bare ground, others are erect shrubs 5 to 6 feet 

 high. They flower from July to October, but most bloom in early August 

 when but few flowers are seen in the shrubbery. 



[Seeds; suckers; twig cuttings.] 



KEY TO THE COMMONLY CULTIVATED 

 HYPERICUM S 



* Stem round ; leaves about evergreen ; pistil with 5 styles ; flowers 



golden yellow ; hardy south of New York. (A.) 

 A. Flowers 2-3 inches broad, petals thick and orbicular, stamens in 

 5 clusters, August ; leaves sometimes 4 inches long ; slightly 



