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POPULAR FLORA. 
14. ST. JOHN’S- WORT FAMILY. Order HYPERICACEtE. 
Herbs or low shrubs, with the leaves all opposite and dotted, as if punctured, with trans- 
parent or dark-colored dots, one or both ; the juice generally acrid. Flowers with 4 or 5 
persistent sepals, as many petals, and more numerous, commonly a great number of sta- 
mens, and in 3 or 5 clusters, borne on the receptacle. Styles 2 to 5, commonly separate, or 
sometimes all united into one. Ovary only one, in fruit a pod, either one-celled with 2 to 
John’s-wort, in a cross-section of the bud. 301. One of the clusters of three stamens. 
Sepals 5, all nearly alike in size and shape. 
Petals 5, flesh-colored, oblong, equal-sided, stamens about 9, in three sets, and a thick 
gland between each set, ( Elodea ) Marsh St. John’s-wort. 
Petals 5, yellow, unequal-sided. Stamens generally many, ( Hypericum ) St. John’s-wort. 
Sepals 4, in two pairs, one pair large, the other small; petals 4, ( A'scyrum ) St. Peter’ s-wort. 
St. John’s-wort. Hypericum. 
* Stamens very many, in 5 sets. Styles 5, rarely 6 or 7. 
1. Great St. John’s-wort. Perennial herb, with stems branched, 3° to 5° high; leaves closely 
sessile, oblong; petals 1' long, narrow. N. & W. H. pyramidatmn. 
* * Stamens very many. Styles 3 or splitting into 3. Perennials or shrubs. 
2. Shrubby S. Shrub 1° to 4° high, very bushy; branchlets 2-edged; leaves lance-oblong; styles 
at first all united into one (Fig. 190), when old splitting into three. W. & S. H. prolijicum. 
3. Naked-flowered S. Shrubby at the base, 1° to 4° high; branches sharply 4-angled; leaves 
oblong; cyme stalked and naked. S. & W. H. nudiflorum. 
4. Common S. Herb 1° or 2° high, bushy-branched ; stem somewhat 2-edged; leaves narrow-oblong, 
with transparent dots; sepals lance-shaped; petals bright yellow. A weed in pastures, &c. 
H. perforatum. 
