Genus 2. 



ST. JOHN'S-WORT FAMILY. 



.529 



hypogynous glands. Ovary i-celled, with 3-5 parietal placentae which sometimes project far 

 into the cavity, or 3-5-celled (rarely 6-celled) ; ovules '^, generally numerous; styles 3-6. 

 Capsule 1-5-celled (rarely 6-celled). [The Greek name.] 



About 210 species, of wide geographic distribution. In addition to the following, 12 others 

 occur in southern and western North America. Type species: Hypericum perforatum L.' 



♦Styles 5; large perennials; pods 5-celled. 

 Flowers i'-2' broad; capsules 9"-io" long; plant herbaceous. 

 Flowers 6"-i2" broad ; capsules 3"-6" long ; plant shrubby. 



♦♦ Styles 3 (rarely 4). 



t Tall leafy shrubs. 

 Flowers numerous, 4"— 8" wide ; pods completely 3-celled. 



Flowers 6"-8" broad ; pods 4"-6" long. 3. 



Flowers 4"-6" broad ; pods 2"-^" long. 

 Flowers few or solitary, i'-2' wide ; pods incompletely 3-celI'ed. 



tt Herbaceous, sometimes woody at the base, 

 X Stamens numerous (15-40) ; flowers 3"-! 2" broad. 

 Capsules i-celled or incompletely 3-4-celled. 



Capsules incompletely 3-4-celled by the projecting placentae. 

 Leaves linear, i"-2" wide. 

 Leaves oblong, 3"-%" wide. 

 Capsules strictly i-celled ; placentae parietal. 



Styles united into a beak, separate above ; stigmas minute. 

 Leaves linear or linear-oblong ; seeds transversely rugose. 

 Nearly simple, erect ; pod globose. 

 Branched, decumbent ; pod 3-sided. 

 Leaves elliptic ; seeds minutely pitted and striate. 

 Styles separate ; stigmas capitate ; cyme naked. 

 Capsules completely 3-celled ; styles separate. 



Leaves linear or oblong ; sepals lanceolate ; introduced. 

 Leaves broadly oblong, oval or ovate-lanceolate ; native species. 

 Sepals ovate to ovate-lanceolate. 



Leaves obtuse ; sepals acute ; petals 2"-3" long. 

 Leaves acute ; sepals acuminate ; petals 5"-io" long. 

 Sepals lanceolate ; petals s"-7" long; leaves obtuse. 



tt Stamens few (5-12) ; flowers j4"-3" broad. 

 Leaves spreading or ascending, 3-7-nerved. 

 Cyme leafy-bracted. 

 Cymes subulate-bracted. 



Leaves ovate, oval, oblong or lanceolate, 5-7-nerved. 

 Leaves ovate, oval or oblong; capsule i"-2^" long. 



Leaves obtuse ; sepals linear-oblong, acutish or obtuse. 



H, Ascyron. 

 H. Kahnianut}}^ 



H. prolificum. 



4. H. densiflorum. 



5. H. aureum. 



6. H. galioides. 



7. H. adpressum. 



8. H. cistifolium. 



9. H. dolabriforme. 



10. H. elHpticum, 



1 1. H. virgatum. 



12. H. perforatum. 



13. H.punctatum. 



14. H. pseudomaculatum. 



1 5. H. graveolens. 



16. H. boreale. 



jy. H. nmtilum. 

 Leaves acute, or only the lower obtuse ; sepals long-acuminate. 18. H, gymnanthun 



Leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate ; capsule 4' 

 Leaves linear, obtuse, 3-nerved. 

 Leaves linear, erect, i -nerved. 



I. Hypericum Ascyron L. Great 



or Giant St. John's-wort. 

 Fig. 2881. 



Hypericum Ascyron L. Sp. PI. 783. 1753. 

 Hypericum pyramidafum Ait. Hort. Kew. 

 3: 103. 1789. 



Perennial, herbaceous, erect, 2°-6° 

 high, branching, the branches often 

 nearly erect, angled. Leaves sessile, 

 clasping, ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceo- 

 late, 2'-5' long, i'-ii' wide, obtuse or 

 acute; cymes terminal, few-flowered; 

 flowers bright yellow, i'-2' broad ; pedi- 

 cels stout, i'-2' long; sepals ovate-lan- 

 ceolate, 4"-6" long, acute ; petals obo- 

 vate or oblanceolate, tardily deciduous ; 

 styles usually 5, united below; stigmas 

 capitate ; stamens numerous, united in 5 

 sets; capsule ovoid, 9"-io" long; cells 3. 



Banks of streams, western Quebec and 

 Vermont to Manitoba, south to Connecticut, 

 New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Illinois, Iowa, 

 Missouri and' Kansas. Also in northern 

 Europe and Asia. July-Aug. 



-5" long. 19. H.majus. 



20. H . canadcnse. 



21. H. Drummondii. 



