Hypericum sect. Brathys
Hypericum gentianoides
orange-grass, orange-grass St. John's-wort, pineweed, pinweed St. Johnswort
internodes 4-lined.
deciduous (base articulated) or persistent (base not articulated).
appressed, sessile;
blade narrowly triangular-subulate to linear-subulate, scalelike, 1–4 × 0.4–0.6 mm, subcoriaceous to chartaceous, margins incurved, apex obtuse to rounded, basal vein 1, midrib unbranched.
usually pyramidal, 1–24-flowered, branching mostly monochasial.
3–15 mm diam.;
sepals persistent, (4–)5;
petals persistent, (4–)5;
stamens persistent, (5–)10–80, usually in continuous or interrupted ring, sometimes in 5 barely discernable fascicles, each of 1–2 stamens;
ovary (2–)3(–4)-merous;
placentation parietal;
styles ± spreading, bases distinct;
stigmas capitate or clavate.
3–5 mm diam.;
sepals lanceolate to narrowly oblong or linear-lanceolate, unequal, 1.5–2.5 × 0.4–0.8 mm, apex acute;
petals orange-yellow to golden yellow, oblong, 2–4 mm;
stamens 5–11, 5 separate or obscurely 5-grouped;
styles 0.8–1.2 mm;
stigmas broadly capitate.
narrowly cylindric-conic, 4–5 × 1–1.2 mm, length 2–2.7 times sepals.
not carinate.
0.4–0.8 mm;
testa markedly ribbed-scalariform.
= 24.
Hypericum sect. Brathys
Hypericum gentianoides
Species 148 (16 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Hypericum gentianoides is smaller in all parts than H. drummondii and more branched. The relatively long, narrow capsule is diagnostic, as are the relatively small, often scalelike leaves.
Hypericum sarothra Michaux and Sarothra hypericoides Nuttall are illegitimate names that pertain here.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Herbs annual, wiry; inflorescences: branching mostly monochasial | → 2 |
1. Herbs annual or perennial, not wiry; inflorescences: branching mostly dichasial | → 3 |
2. Leaf blades linear or linear-subulate to linear-lanceolate, 5–22 mm, margins recurved to revolute; sepals 3–7 mm; capsule lengths 1–1.2 times sepals. | H. drummondii |
2. Leaf blades narrowly triangular-subulate to linear-subulate, scalelike, 1–4 mm, margins incurved; sepals 1.5–2.5 mm; capsule lengths 2–2.7 times sepals. | H. gentianoides |
3. Stems and leaves scabrous-tomentose to pilose; sepal margins setulose-ciliate. | H. setosum |
3. Stems and leaves glabrous; sepal margins sometimes ciliate, not setulose-ciliate | → 4 |
4. Leaf blades linear-subulate, 0.2–0.3 mm wide, basal veins 1, midrib unbranched. | H. cumulicola |
4. Leaf blades not linear-subulate, (0.5–)2–18 mm wide, basal veins 1–7, midrib with 0–4 pairs of branches | → 5 |
5. Leaf blades leathery; petals golden yellow or orange-yellow; stamens (35–) 50–80 | → 6 |
5. Leaf blades papery to membranous; petals usually bright, golden, or pale yellow, rarely salmon-orange; stamens 5–25 | → 11 |
6. Leaf blades linear-oblong or linear-lanceolate to linear, 0.5–2 mm wide; petals red tinged; stamens 35–50; styles 2.5–5 mm | H. paucifolium |
6. Leaf blades elliptic, lanceolate, linear-lanceolate, oblong-elliptic, obovate, or ovate, 3–18 mm wide; petals not red tinged; stamens 50–80; styles 2–4 mm | → 7 |
7. Herbs erect or ± spreading, non-aerenchymatous at base; leaves (main stems) longer than internodes | → 8 |
7. Herbs erect to ascending, usually ± aerenchymatous (spongiform-thickened) at base; leaves (main stems) mostly shorter than internodes (usually longer in. 31 H. harperi). | → 9 |
8. Leaf blades (main stem) lanceolate to oblong-elliptic or obovate, 10–30(–50) mm, apex usually acute to acuminate, rarely obtuse; subsidiary inflorescence branches with or without relatively smaller leaves. | H. virgatum |
8. Leaf blades (main stem) narrowly lanceolate, 10–40(–55) mm, apex acute to acuminate; subsidiary inflorescence branches with relatively smaller leaves. | H. radfordiorum |
9. Herbs 2–7 dm; leaf blades (main stem) usually broadly to narrowly ovate, rarely elliptic or lanceolate. | H. denticulatum |
9. Herbs 3–12 dm; leaf blades (main stem) usually lanceolate, sometimes linear-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, rarely elliptic or ovate | → 10 |
10. Herbs erect to ascending, branching at base and in inflorescence; leaves strongly ascending to appressed, shorter than internodes, smaller distally. | H. erythreae |
10. Herbs erect, branching (from long-creeping rhizomes) at base and from mid and distal nodes; leaves ascending to deflexed, mostly longer than internodes, not or scarcely smaller distally. | H. harperi |
11. Herbs decumbent to ascending, forming loose mats; stigmas scarcely capitate. | H. anagalloides |
11. Herbs usually erect, not forming loose mats; stigmas broadly capitate | → 12 |
12. Leaf blades lanceolate, linear, narrowly elliptic, narrowly oblong-elliptic, oblanceolate, oblanceolate-linear, or obovate; capsules broadest proximal to middle | → 13 |
12. Leaf blades usually elliptic, oblong, broadly oblong-elliptic, ovate, ovate-triangular, round, or suborbiculate, rarely lanceolate; capsules usually broadest at or near middle | → 14 |
13. Leaf blades lanceolate, narrowly oblong-elliptic, or oblanceolate, (2–)6–12 mm wide, basal veins (3–)5–7; inflorescences usually compact. | H. majus |
13. Leaf blades linear to oblanceolate-linear or (proximal) oblanceolate to obovate, 0.5–5.5 mm wide, basal veins 1–3(–5); inflorescences usually diffuse. | H. canadense |
14. Leaf blades (mid and distal) lanceolate-deltate, apex usually subacute; capsules narrowly conic-ellipsoid. | H. gymnanthum |
14. Leaf blades (mid and distal) elliptic, lanceolate, oblanceolate, oblong, round, suborbiculate, or ovate, apex obtuse to rounded; capsules narrowly ovoid to cylindric-ellipsoid | → 15 |
15. Leaf blades bicolor, paler abaxially; inflorescences: bracts linear-subulate. | H. mutilum |
15. Leaf blades concolor; inflorescences: bracts not linear-subulate. | H. boreale |
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