ST. JOHN'S-WORT FAMILY 



Corolla. — Petals five, hypogynous, brilliant yellow, convolute 

 in bud. 



Stamens. — Conspicuous, numerous, distinct ; filaments slen- 

 der, bright yellow; anthers yellow, two-celled. 

 Pistil. — Ovary superior, three-celled, styles three. 

 Fruit. — Capsule three-lobed, three-celled, many-seeded. 



Hypericum all bloom, so thick a swarm 



Of flowers, clothing her slender stems, 



That scarce a leaf appears. 



— Cowper. 



The Shrubby St. John's-wort responds admirably 

 to cultivation, often reaching the height of six feet with 

 a wide spreading head. The flowers are extremely 

 showy, borne as they are in large terminal clusters ; 

 and blooming almost continuously from July to Sep- 

 tember they produce a glow of brilliant color among 

 the prevailing green of midsummer shrubbery. 



Hypericum densiflorum is closely related to Hypericum 

 prolificum, but a much rarer plant. Its leaves are lin- 

 ear-lanceolate, with slightly re volute margins, bristle- 

 pointed. The flowers are small, about half an inch 

 across, and are crowded in broad, compact cymes. 

 The capsules are short, remarkably slender, and with 

 the smaller flowers serve to distinguish it from Hyper- 

 icum prolificum, which it greatly resembles. It is a 

 southern plant, coming naturally no farther north than 

 New Jersey. 



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