Hypericum sect. Hypericum

Herbs, perennial, [subshrubs]; black glands usually on leaves, sepals, and petals and, sometimes, on stems and anthers. Leaves persistent or tardily deciduous, (base not articulated). Flowers 6–35 mm diam.; sepals persistent, 5; petals persistent, 5; stamens persistent, 20–109, in 5 fascicles, fascicles connate as 2 + 2 + 1; ovary 3(–4)-merous; placentation axile; styles spreading, bases distinct; stigmas relatively small. Seeds not or slightly carinate. Species 22 (8, including 1 hybrid, in the flora): North America, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.

Discussion

Species 22 (8 in the flora).

Selected References

Culwell, D. E. 1970. A Taxonomic Study of the Section Hypericum in the Eastern United States. Ph.D. dissertation. University of North Carolina.

Lower Taxa

Hypericum concinnum, Hypericum graveolens, Hypericum maculatum, Hypericum perforatum, Hypericum pseudomaculatum, Hypericum punctatum, Hypericum scouleri, Hypericum ×mitchellianum

Key

1	Herbs rarely with rooting base, bushy; leaf blades usually conduplicate; sepals markedly imbricate.	Hypericum concinnum
1	Herbs usually with rooting base (except H. punctatum), not bushy; leaf blades not conduplicate; sepals not or scarcely imbricate.	> 2
2	Stems with black glands in raised lines or without black glands; leaf blades: tertiary veins not densely reticulate, black glands intramarginal, (± dense to spaced), and laminar, (relatively few and distal or absent); capsules ovoid, broadly ovoid, narrowly ovoid-pyramidal, or oblanceoloid	> 3
2	Stems with black glands scattered on or near lines or all over; leaf blades: tertiary veins densely reticulate toward margins, black glands intramarginal (dense) and laminar (scattered); capsules ellipsoid, ovoid, broadly ovoid, or subglobose	> 5
3	Stems from rooting, creeping base, internodes weakly 2-lined or not lined, without black glands, rarely with reddish glands; petals sometimes red-tinged.	Hypericum scouleri
3	Stems from rooting, not creeping, base, internodes 2- or 4-lined, with black glands in lines; petals not red-tinged	> 4
4	Stems: internodes (at least some) 4-lined; sepals broadly ovate to oblong, apex rounded-apiculate to erose-denticulate; capsules with longitudinal vittae (narrow linear glands).	Hypericum maculatum
4	Stems: internodes 2-lined; sepals lanceolate or narrowly oblong to linear, apex acute to aristate; capsules with longitudinal vittae and shorter, oblique vittae.	Hypericum perforatum
5	Leaf blade apex usually acute, rarely obtuse to rounded; inflorescence subsidiary branches ascending to widely spreading; anther gland amber or pellucid.	Hypericum pseudomaculatum
5	Leaf blade apex usually obtuse, rounded, retuse, or subretuse, rarely acute; inflorescence subsidiary branches narrowly ascending or curved-ascending; anther gland black	> 6
6	Inflorescences (2–)5–14(–22)-flowered; petals 11–18 mm; styles 5.6–12 mm.	Hypericum graveolens
6	Inflorescences (5–)13–600-flowered; petals 3–11 mm; styles 1–5 mm	> 7
7	Stems with black glands on or near lines or all over; flowers 15–20 mm diam.; capsules with longitudinal vittae.	Hypericum ×mitchellianum
7	Stems with black glands scattered; flowers 8–15 mm diam.; capsules with longitudinal vittae or elongate to ovoid vesicles.	Hypericum punctatum