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sandhill St. Johnswort

millepertuis elliptique, pale Saint John's wort, pale St. John's-wort

Habit Shrubs, decumbent, straggling and rooting, forming low, rounded clumps or mats, 1–5 dm. Herbs, perennial, erect, with creeping, rhizomatous, ± woody base, usually unbranched, sometimes branched proximally, relatively slender, 1.1–3(–5) dm.
Stems

internodes (4-) or 6-lined at first, then terete.

internodes 4-lined.

Leaf

blades linear-subulate, 13–25 × 0.5–0.8 mm, base articulated, parallel, margins revolute, apex rounded to retuse, midrib unbranched.

blades broadly to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic, 11–35 × 3–13 mm, base not articulated, cuneate to shallowly cordate-amplexicaul, margins plane to subrevolute, apex rounded, midrib with 5–7 pairs of branches.

Inflorescences

narrowly pyramidal, 1–3-flowered, with 1–3(–5)-flowered dichasia from to 5 proximal nodes, without additional flowering branches;

pedicels 0.5 mm.

corymbiform, (1–)3–15-flowered, narrowly branched, sometimes with branches from 1–2 proximal nodes.

Flowers

12–14 mm diam.;

sepals deciduous, not enclosing capsule, 5, linear-subulate, unequal, (3–)4.5–7 × 0.5–0.8 mm;

petals 5, golden yellow, oblanceolate-oblong, 5–7.5 mm;

stamens deciduous, 100;

ovary 3-merous.

12–15 mm diam.;

sepals persistent, not enclosing capsule, (4–)5, ± lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic, ± unequal, 6–7 × 2–3 mm;

petals (4–)5, pale yellow, sometimes tinged red, obovate to oblanceolate, 6–8 mm;

stamens persistent, 70–95;

ovary 3-merous, placentation parietal.

Capsules

ovoid, 3–4 × 2–2.5 mm.

ellipsoid to globose, 4–7 × 3.5–5 mm.

Seeds

carinate, 0.7 mm;

testa not seen.

carinate, 0.6–0.7 mm;

testa scalariform-reticulate.

2n

= 16, 18.

Hypericum lloydii

Hypericum ellipticum

Phenology Flowering summer (Aug). Flowering summer (Jun–Sep).
Habitat Dry habitats (pine woods, granite outcrops, roadside embankments), inner coastal plain and foothills Stream, lake, and pond margins, wet meadows, swamps
Elevation 100–300 m (300–1000 ft) 0–600 m (0–2000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; GA; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; IL; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; VT; WA; WI; WV; NB; NF; NS; ON; QC
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The habit, leaf shape, and drier habitats distinguish Hypericum lloydii from H. galioides.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Hypericum ellipticum is related to H. sphaerocarpum, differing by the shorter, herbaceous, rhizomatous habit, shorter leaves, and smaller seeds. A submerged aquatic form (forma submersum Fassett) and one with axillary branches developing after fertilization (forma foliosum Marie-Victorin) seem scarcely worth formal recognition. Hypericum ellipticum is introduced in Washington.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 6, p. 79. FNA vol. 6, p. 84.
Parent taxa Hypericaceae > Hypericum > sect. Myriandra Hypericaceae > Hypericum > sect. Myriandra
Sibling taxa
H. adpressum, H. anagalloides, H. apocynifolium, H. ascyron, H. boreale, H. brachyphyllum, H. buckleyi, H. canadense, H. canariense, H. chapmanii, H. cistifolium, H. concinnum, H. crux-andreae, H. cumulicola, H. densiflorum, H. denticulatum, H. dolabriforme, H. drummondii, H. edisonianum, H. ellipticum, H. erythreae, H. fasciculatum, H. frondosum, H. galioides, H. gentianoides, H. graveolens, H. gymnanthum, H. harperi, H. hypericoides, H. kalmianum, H. lissophloeus, H. lobocarpum, H. maculatum, H. majus, H. microsepalum, H. mutilum, H. myrtifolium, H. nitidum, H. nudiflorum, H. paucifolium, H. perforatum, H. prolificum, H. pseudomaculatum, H. punctatum, H. radfordiorum, H. scouleri, H. setosum, H. sphaerocarpum, H. suffruticosum, H. tenuifolium, H. tetrapetalum, H. virgatum, H. ×mitchellianum
H. adpressum, H. anagalloides, H. apocynifolium, H. ascyron, H. boreale, H. brachyphyllum, H. buckleyi, H. canadense, H. canariense, H. chapmanii, H. cistifolium, H. concinnum, H. crux-andreae, H. cumulicola, H. densiflorum, H. denticulatum, H. dolabriforme, H. drummondii, H. edisonianum, H. erythreae, H. fasciculatum, H. frondosum, H. galioides, H. gentianoides, H. graveolens, H. gymnanthum, H. harperi, H. hypericoides, H. kalmianum, H. lissophloeus, H. lloydii, H. lobocarpum, H. maculatum, H. majus, H. microsepalum, H. mutilum, H. myrtifolium, H. nitidum, H. nudiflorum, H. paucifolium, H. perforatum, H. prolificum, H. pseudomaculatum, H. punctatum, H. radfordiorum, H. scouleri, H. setosum, H. sphaerocarpum, H. suffruticosum, H. tenuifolium, H. tetrapetalum, H. virgatum, H. ×mitchellianum
Synonyms H. galioides var. lloydii Brathydium canadense, H. brathydium, H. canadense var. oviforme
Name authority (Svenson) W. P. Adams: Contr. Gray Herb. 189: 32. (1962) Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 110. (1831)
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