XlX. HYtERIClNte^. 101 



indehisoent. Seeds straight or rarely curved, without albumen. Embryo straight 

 or rarely curved, the radicle next the hilum.-^Herbs, shrubs, or rarely trees. 

 Leaves opposite or rarely vertioillate, simple or entire or with glandular teeth. 

 Stipules none. Flowers terminal or rarely axillary, solitary or in cymes or 

 panicles. Leafy parts often marked with glandular, pellucid, or black dots. 



The Order is dispersed over the greater portion of the globe, although represented in Australia 

 by only one or two species, and those not ondemio. It is closely allied to Guttiferce and Tern- 

 strcemiaceai. — Benth . 



1. HYPERICUM, Linn. 



(A name of Dioscorides.) 



Sepals 6. Petals 5, not wholly inside. Capsule opening septicidally. Seeds 

 not winged. Embryo oblong or cylindrical, with short cotyledons. — Herbs or 

 shrubs. Leaves either small or thin, entire, or rarely minutely toothed. Flowers 

 yellow or rarely white. 



A large genus with nearly the same extensive geographical range as the Order. 



Breot or ascending. Leaves usually subcordate 1. H. gramineum. 



Procumbent. Leaves usually oblong or obovate 2. H. japonicnm. 



1. H. gramineum (often found among grass), Font.; DC. .Prod. i. C48 ; 

 Benth. Fl. Austr. i. 182. A glabrous perennial, with erect or ascending angular 

 stems, usually about 1ft. high, but sometimes nearly twice that height, 

 or much shorter, slender, but rather rigid, branching at the base only or in the 

 inflorescence. Leaves closely stem-clasping, ovate to oblong-lanceolate; obtuse, 

 rarely exceeding |-in., entire, with numerous pellucid dots, the margins more or 

 less revolute. Flowers 3 or more, in the forks or terminating the branches of a 

 dichotomous cyme, with a pair of leafy bracts at the base of each fork ; the 

 pedicels erect and rigid, j to Jin. long. Sepals lanceolate, acute, appressed, 2 to 

 3 or rarely 4 lines long. Petals entire, longer than the sepals. Stamens very 

 variable in number, usually rather numerous and free. Styles 8, distinct. 

 Capsule 1 -celled, 3-valved, with narrow-linear placentas and numerous small 

 seeds.— DC. Prod. i. 548 ; Labill. Sert. Austr. Caled. .53, t. 53 ; Hook. f. Fl. 

 Tasm. i. 53 ; F. v. M. PI. Viet. i. 193 ; Ascyruni mvolutum, Labill. PI. Nov. HoU. 

 ii. 32, t. 174 ; Hypericum mvolutum, Chois. in DC. Prod. i. 549 ; H. pedicdlare, 

 Endl. in Hueg. Enum. 12 ; Brathys Billardicri and B. J'^'ocsJm, Spach. in Ann. 

 Se. Nat. Ser. 2, v. 367. 



Hab.: Frequent in all parts. 



The species in the original form, above described, is common also to New Zealand and New 

 Caledonia. 



2. H. japonicum (Japanese), TInmb. Fl. Jap. 295, t. 31 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. 

 i. 182. Very nearly allied to H. r/ramineum, and considered by F. v. Mueller as a 

 variety only. It is piuch less rigid and usually very procumbent or diffuse, with 

 ascending branches, terete or scarcely angled. Leaves smaller, flatter, and more 

 obtuse, not so broad at the base. Flowers smaller, on shorter pedicels, the sepals 

 less acute and the petals very seldom exceeding them. — DC. Prod. i. 548 ; Hook, 

 f. Fl. Tasm. i. 53 ; Axcyron humifusimi, Labill. PI. Nov. HoU. ii. 33, t. 175 ; 

 H. pmilluw, Chois. in DC. Prod. i. 549 ; Bmthy.s humifusa, Spach, in Ann^ Se. 

 Nat. ser. 2, v. 367. 



Hab.; Common in southern parts. 



