HYPERICUM HYSSOPIFOLIUM. 



NATURAL ORDER. 



HYPERICACE^E. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Hypericum. (Linn.) Capsula membranacea. Styli 3-5 in quibusdam numero variabiles. 

 Stamina numerosa basi polyadelplia, rare- numero subdefinita. Petala 5. Sepala 5, basi 

 plus minusve coalita et insequalia. Herbse aut suffrutices. Folia opposita, saepe pellucido- 

 punctata, aut margine nigro-punctata. Flores varie dispositi. — (Decand. vol. i. p. 544.) 



Capsule membranaceous. Styles 3-5, in some variable" in number. Stamens numerous, 

 polyadelphous at the base, rarely somewhat definite in number. Petals five. Sepals five, more 

 or less united and unequal at the base. — Herbs or undershrubs. Leaves opposite, often marked 

 with pellucid dots, or dotted with black on the margin. Flowers variously disposed. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER, 



H. Hyssopifolium ; Caule suffruticoso recto tereti sub-ramoso ; foliis oblongo-lanceolatis 

 subobtusis utrinque attenuatis margine revolutis pellucido-punctatis in axilla fasciculatis ; 

 calyce ovato subobtuso apice serrulato-glanduloso ; corolla glandulosa ; stylis 8 liberis diver- 

 gentibus. 



Stem somewhat shrubby, erect, round, somewhat branched ; leaves oblong-lanceolate, rather 

 obtuse, narrowed at each end, revolute in the margin, marked with pellucid dots, clustered in 

 the axilla ; calyx ovate, rather obtuse, minutely serrated, and glandular at the apex ; corolla 

 glandular ; styles three, free, divergent. 



Hypericum hyssopifolium. — Till. Delph. 3, p. 305, t. 44. — Decand. vol. i. p. 552. 



Descr.— Stem from a foot to a foot and a half high, moderately branched ; leaves narrow, 

 from half to three quarters of an inch in length, sprinkled with pellucid dots ; panicle lax, 

 many-flowered ; petals obovate, somewhat reflexed. 



This handsome and interesting plant is a native of the South of France, 

 Tauria, &c. Our drawing was made from a specimen in the collection of the 

 Birmingham Botanic Garden. It is a desirable acquisition to the flower border, 

 as it blossoms freely, and endures for some time. 



The genus Hypericum is extensive, containing not less than 130 species, which 

 are arranged by Decandolle in five sections, of which the fourth is termed 

 " Perforaria," and is characterised chiefly by the pellucid dots of the leaves. This 

 section, which contains by far the largest portion of the species, is arranged in 

 two subdivisions, one with the sepals entire, the other with the sepals toothed, and 

 frequently glandular j in the latter subdivision is the station of our plant, which 

 has the sepals minutely serrated and glandulose at their apex. 



VOL. III. NO, XXV. MAKCH, 1839. B 



(Hyssop-leaved Hypericum.) 



LINNEAN SYSTEM. , T 



No. 91. 



POLYADELPHIA POLYANDRIA, 



