HYPERICACEyE. 143 



a single carpel. Styles as many as the cai'i^els. Stigmas capitate. 

 Placcntte on the inner angles of the dissepiments. Ovules gene- 

 rally numerous, anatropous. Fruit usually a capsule, -oith septi- 

 cidal (or more rarely loculicidal) dehiscence, sometimes fleshy and 

 indehiscent, very rarely dividing into cocca. Seeds small, cylin- 

 drical, straight. Embryo straight, rarely curved. Albumen none, 

 lladicle near the hilum. 



GENUS I.—B. YPERICUM. Linn. 



Sepals 5, free, or slightly combined at the base. Petals 5, 

 glabrous on the inside. Stamens imited at the base, so as to form 

 3 or 5 bundles, or more rarely -svith the filaments united for a great 

 part of their length. Placentae 3 to 5, projecting more or less into 

 the cavity of the capsule, sometimes meeting and adhering together 

 in the axis. Seeds not winged. Cotyledons usually shorter than 

 the radicle. 



Herbs or small shrubs, with the leaves generally sub-sessile, 

 frequently with pellucid dots or veins. Flowers commonly yellow, 

 with the petals often bordered or dotted with black glandular 

 points. 



According to the best authorities, the name of this gen\is of plants is derived from 

 two Greek words, v^rip {Intpei-), above, or superior; and eiKii)y{eikon), an image, or spectre; 

 because it was supposed to protect from evil spirits. 



Section I.— ANDR0S.EMIXEJ3. Spach. 



Calyx of 5 unequal sepals. Petals deciduous. Stamens 

 generally in 5, rarely 4 bundles, generally deciduous, without 

 having hypogynous glands or scales alternating with the bundles, 

 in each of which the stamens adhere only by the base. Ovary 3- or 

 5-celled, wuth the placentas not united. 



Plants with the stems often shrubby, at least towards the base, 

 riowers large, handsome, rather few. 



SPECIES I.-HYPERICUM ANDROS^MUM. Linn. 

 Plate C'CLXIV. 



Androsjemnm officinale,^?;. lieich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Ilelv. Vol. VI. Ili/p. Tab. CCCLII. 



Fig. .5192. 

 A. officinale, Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Helv. ed. ii. p. 146. 



Stem shrubby at the base ; branches compressed. Leaves sessile, 

 ovate, sub-cordate at the base, rather obtus(! at the apex. Cymes 



