Hypericum sphaerocarpum
Hypericum frondosum
round-fruit St. John's-wort, roundseed St. Johnswort
cedar glade St. John's-wort, golden St. John's wort
internodes 2–4-lined.
internodes 4-lined at first, then 2-lined to terete.
blades narrowly elliptic or narrowly oblong to linear, 30–70 × 3–15 mm, base not articulated, narrowly cuneate to linear, margins plane to revolute, apex subacute to rounded, midrib with 0–4 pairs of branches.
blades usually oblong to lanceolate-oblong, sometimes oblanceolate, 25–65 × 8–22 mm, base articulated, broadly to narrowly cuneate, margins plane or subrecurved, apex apiculate-obtuse to rounded, midrib with 10–16 pairs of branches.
rounded-corymbiform, 7–70-flowered, narrowly branched, sometimes with dichasia or branches from to 8 proximal nodes.
1–3(–7)-flowered from apical node, sometimes with paired single flowers or triads (3-flowered cymules) or 1–3-flowered branches at proximal node.
10–15 mm diam.;
sepals persistent, not enclosing capsule, 5, broadly ovate to oblong-elliptic, ± unequal, 2.5–5 × 1.5–3 mm;
petals 5, bright yellow, oblanceolate-elliptic to elliptic, 5–9 mm;
stamens persistent, 45–85;
ovary 3-merous, placentation parietal.
24–45 mm diam.;
sepals deciduous, not enclosing capsule, (4)5, ovate or oblong to elliptic-spatulate, unequal, 6–14(–20) × 4–10 mm;
petals (4–)5, golden yellow to orange-yellow, obovate to oblanceolate, 12–25 mm;
stamens deciduous, 250–650;
ovary 3-merous.
broadly ovoid to depressed-globose, 4.5–8 × 4–7 mm.
ovoid-conic to ovoid-rostrate, 12–15 × 6–8 mm.
carinate, 2–2.7 mm;
testa coarsely reticulate.
carinate, 1.5 mm;
testa linear-reticulate.
= 18.
Hypericum sphaerocarpum
Hypericum frondosum
Hypericum sphaerocarpum differs from H. cistifolium and H. nudiflorum in its semiherbaceous habit and more northwestern distribution, as well as in its combination of relatively long, narrow leaves, persistent sepals, globose and apiculate to rounded capsules, and relatively large seeds. The narrow-leaved, bushy form from eastern parts of the range (var. turgidum) merges with the typical form.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Hypericum frondosum is endemic to the southwestern end of the Appalachian Range; it is recorded as introduced in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York (W. P. Adams 1962). Records from Arkansas and, possibly, South Carolina and Virginia appear to be errors for H. prolificum. Although H. frondosum is variable over its natural range and approaches H. prolificum morphologically in Arkansas, it remains distinct from its immediate relatives. In cultivation, it sometimes hybridizes with H. prolificum. Artificial hybrids have been made, as well as artificial tetraploids (O. Myers 1963).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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