Hypericum.] XVI. HYPEKICINEJE. 79 



XVI. HYPERICINE^:. THE HYPERICUM FAMILY. 



A family confined in Britain to the single genus Hypericum. 

 The tropical genera associated with it differ slightly in the 

 number of parts, or in the arrangement of the stamens or of 

 the seeds, and some are tall shrubs or even trees. The chief 

 distinction of the Order from those nearest allied to it lies in 

 the stamens, either very numerous or arranged in 3 or 5 clusters 

 or bundles. 



I. HYPERICUM. HYPERICUM. 



Herbs, usually perennial (in some exotic species shrubs) often marked 

 with glandular dots ; the leaves opposite and entire, and no stipules ; 

 the flowers regular, usually yellow. Sepals 5. Petals 5, hypogynous, 

 usually oblique. Stamens indefinite, clustered or shortly united at the 

 base into 3 or 5 bundles. Capsule more or less completely divided into 

 3 or 5 cells by as many placentas projecting from the sides to the axis, 

 and usually opening in 3 or 5 valves. Seeds numerous, small, without 

 albumen. 



An extensive genus, particularly abundant in southern Europe, western 

 Asia, and North America, but found also within the tropics, and in 

 the southern hemisphere, both in the New and the Old World. The 

 glandular dots are of two kinds, the pellucid ones, which can be seen 

 by holding up the leaves against the light, and the black ones, which 

 are usually on the under side of the leaves round the edge, or on the 

 flowers themselves. 



Undershrubs, with large ovate leaves, few flowers, broad 

 round sepals, and stamens in 5 bundles. 



Styles 5. Flowers very large 1. H. calycinum. 



Styles 3. Petals not much longer than the calyx . . . 2. H. Androscemum. 

 Herbs with numerous flowers, small or narrow sepals, and 

 stamens in 3 bundles or clusters. 

 Sepals quite entire, or with very few teeth, without black dots. 

 Stems erect, above a foot high, bearing a corymb of bright 

 yellow flowers. 

 Stems cylindrical or slightly angled. 

 Sepals pointed. Leaves with numerous pellucid dots 3. H. perforatum. 

 Sepals blunt. Leaves with few or no pellucid dots . 4. H. dubium. 

 Stems distinctly four-sided. 

 Sepals broad and blunt, or scarcely pointed . . 4. H. dubium. 

 Sepals narrow and very pointed. Petals pale yellow 5. H. quadrangulum. 

 Stems diffuse, not 6 inches long, and much branched. 



Flowers small, in leafy cymes 6. H. humifusum. 



Sepals fringed with black or red glandular teeth or dots. 

 Whole plant perfectly glabrous. 

 Stems diffuse, or, if erect, growing in tufts, seldom 

 above 6 inches high. 

 Leaves oblong or ovate. Stems low and diffuse . 6. II. humifusum 



Leaves linear 7. R. linawifoliuin. 



Stems erect and stiff, usually a foot or more high. 

 Stem-leaves broad-cordate, rarely above | inch long.. 



Panicle oblong, loose 8. R. pulchrum. 



Stem-leaves ovate or oblong, 1 to 2 inches long. 



Panicle compact 10. R. montanum. 



Stems or leaves hairy. 

 Stem tall and erect, slightly hairy. Leaves oblong or 



elliptical . 9. R. hirmtur,\. 



Stems diffuse, very woolly. Leaves orbicular . . 11. H. Elodes 



