Hypericum pseudomaculatum
Hypericaceae
false spotted St. Johnswort
St. John's wort family
sometimes clustered, internodes not lined, with black glands scattered all over.
usually ascending, sometimes spreading, sessile;
blade usually ovate-lanceolate to triangular-lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, rarely ovate, 18–45 × 6–16(–20) mm, base cordate to rounded, margins plane, apex usually acute, rarely obtuse to rounded, midrib with 3–4 pairs of branches, tertiary veins densely reticulate toward margins, black glands intramarginal (dense) and laminar (scattered).
opposite [alternate or whorled], simple, estipulate, sessile, subsessile, pseudopetiolate, or petiolate;
blade with pellucid glands and/or canals containing essential oils, margins entire [rarely gland-fringed], surfaces with black, reddish, or amber glands containing hypericin and pseudohypericin.
subcorymbiform to broadly pyramidal, 16–164(–280)-flowered, subsidiary branches ascending to widely spreading.
terminal or axillary, cymose [thyrsoid] or solitary flowers.
10–20 mm diam.;
sepals not imbricate, erect in fruit, lanceolate to ovate or elliptic-oblong, subequal, (3–)3.7–4.9(–6) mm, apex acute;
petals yellow, usually obovate, rarely elliptic, 6–14 mm;
stamens 38–61;
anther gland amber or pellucid;
styles 5.4–8.5 mm.
homostylous [heterostylous];
sepals persistent or deciduous, (3–)4–5, glanduliferous like leaves;
petals persistent or deciduous, 3–5[–6], distinct, imbricate or contorted [decussate], orange, pink, or yellow, [white, red], sometimes green- or red-tinged, [sometimes with adaxial scale], glanduliferous;
stamens persistent or deciduous, in 2 whorls, sometimes in fascicles, sometimes reduced to staminodes;
filaments distinct or ± connate;
anthers 2-locular, dehiscing longitudinally;
ovary superior, 2–5-merous;
placentation axile to parietal;
ovules 1–2+ on each placenta, anatropous;
styles 2–5, distinct or basally [to completely] connate, elongate;
stigmas minute or ± expanded.
capsular [baccate], dehiscence septicidal from apex [loculicidal].
broadly ovoid, 3–6 × 2–4 mm, with longitudinal and lateral vittae or vesicles or only ovoid vesicles (all amber).
not or scarcely carinate, 0.6–0.8 mm;
testa linear-reticulate.
sometimes carinate [winged or carunculate];
endosperm absent;
embryo straight [curved];
cotyledons 25–40% of total embryo length.
= 16.
Hypericum pseudomaculatum
Hypericaceae
Hypericum pseudomaculatum has been confused with H. punctatum; they are quite distinct and they rarely, if ever, hybridize. The affinities of H. pseudomaculatum are with Mexican H. formosum Kunth.
J. A. Steyermark (1963) recognized two distinct floral forms in Missouri: forma pseudomaculatum with orange-yellow petals and stamen filaments, and forma flavidum in which these parts are pale, creamy yellow. The distribution of these two forms within the whole range of the species is unknown.
Hypericum elatum Aiton (a synonym of H. ×inodorum Miller = H. androsaemum Linnaeus × hircinum Linnaeus) was wrongly cited as from North America by Aiton and was not conclusively recognized as an Old World taxon until J. M. Coulter (1886) published his account of North American Hypericum.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Genera 9, species 700+ (2 genera, 58 species in the flora).
Hypericaceae flowers are always bisexual, the anther and all or part of the filament remain distinct, the cotyledons are distinct and usually 25–40% of the length of the embryo, and specialization has resulted in heterostyly. In the Calophyllaceae, the anthers and filament are distinct, the cotyledons usually form most of the embryo and may be completely connate, and specialization has resulted in dioecism. In the Clusiaceae, which are also largely dioecious, distinct anthers are often lacking, the stamens having become more or less connate in masses around the ovary, and the cotyledons are minute or absent.
The dark red compounds hypericin and pseudohypericin, naphtho-dianthrone derivatives that are widespread in the Hypericaceae, are contained within black or red gland-dots or -lines in various parts of the plant. These compounds are photosensitizing and lead to eruptions on muzzles of grazing animals. This phenomenon is especially troublesome in dry regions where
alternative fodder may be scarce, for example, California, Iraq, Australia, and South Africa. Hypericum perforatum, which is native in Iraq and introduced in the other three regions, is the main source of trouble. Reports from Ontario indicate that field workers have experienced severe reaction over prolonged exposure to H. perforatum. Hypericum perforatum is also used privately (but not prescribed) as source of an antidepressant; the relevant active ingredients for this treatment are unknown (S. L. Crockett 2003).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Herbs, subshrubs, or shrubs; petals yellow to orange, sometimes red-tinged; stamens (5–)10–300(–650), in continuous or interrupted ring or in (3–)4–5 fascicles; filaments distinct or basally connate, staminode fascicles 0. | Hypericum |
1. Herbs; petals pink or flesh-colored, sometimes green-tinged; stamens 9, in 3 fascicles; filaments 1/5–1/2+ connate, staminode fascicles 3, alternating with stamen fascicles. | Triadenum |
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