Hypericum hypericoides
St. Andrew's cross
internodes 2-winged.
blades oblanceolate or narrowly oblong or elliptic to linear, 7–25 × 1–8.5 mm, base not articulated, usually cuneate, sometimes rounded, with glandlike auricles, margins subrecurved, apex rounded to obtuse, midrib with 1–2 pairs of branches.
narrowly cylindric to pyramidal, 1–12-flowered from 1–4 nodes, sometimes with branches from to 10 proximal nodes, or branching more elaborate and pseudodichotomous;
pedicels erect in fruit, bracteoles distal.
10–20 mm diam.;
sepals persistent, enclosing capsule, 4, unequal, outer ovate-suborbiculate to narrowly elliptic, 5–12.5 × 2–13 mm, apex subapiculate to obtuse, inner lanceolate, 1–4 × 2 mm, apex acute;
petals 4, bright to pale yellow, obovate to narrowly oblong-elliptic, 6–12 mm;
stamens persistent, 40–50;
ovary 2-merous.
narrowly compressed-ovoid to cylindric-ellipsoid, 5–9 × 2–4 mm.
not carinate, 0.6–0.8 mm;
testa finely linear-reticulate to linear-foveolate.
Hypericum hypericoides
Subspecies 3 (2 in the flora).
Hypericum hypericoides can be distinguished from H. crux-andreae by the two-merous ovary, narrower leaves, smaller flowers, and more richly-branched stems. It is variable in leaf and sepal shape and size; three subspecies can be recognized.
The erect bushy form (subsp. hypericoides) is most widespread and has given rise to a northern diffuse form (subsp. multicaule) in the United States and a prostrate form (subsp. prostratum N. Robson) in Hispaniola.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Plants erect, usually unbranched from base and freely branched well above ground level; leaf blades usually narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblong, broadest near middle. | subsp. hypericoides |
1. Plants decumbent to prostrate, branching from base; leaf blades usually oblanceolate, broadest beyond middle. | subsp. multicaule |
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