HYPERICACEAE

ST. JOHN'S WORT FAMILY

Jennifer Talbot

Annual, perennial herb, shrub, tree
Leaves simple, cauline, opposite or whorled; stipules 0; blade often with black dots or embedded clear glands
Inflorescence: cyme, panicle, or flower solitary, terminal or axillary
Flower bisexual, radial; sepals persistent, generally 5, often fused at base, overlapping; petals generally 5, free; stamens generally many, free or ± fused into 3–5 clusters; pistil 1, ovary superior, chambers 1–3, placentas generally axile, style branches 3
Fruit: capsule, generally septicidal
Seeds many, small
Genera in family: 10 genera, 400 species: worldwide.

HYPERICUM

Annual, perennial herb, shrub, glabrous
Leaf sessile, ± gland-dotted
Inflorescence: generally cyme, generally terminal, bracted
Flower: sepals 5; petals 5, deciduous or persistent, yellow; anthers sometimes black-dotted; ovary chambers 1 or 3, placentas 3, axile or parietal and projecting into chamber
Species in genus: 350 species: worldwide
Etymology: (Greek name)

Native

H. anagalloides Cham. & Schldl.

TINKER'S PENNY

Annual or perennial herb from matted stolons
Stem prostrate to decumbent, 3–25 cm, slender; lower nodes rooting
Leaf 4–15 mm, elliptic to ± round, with clear to green gland-dots; base ± clasping stem
Inflorescence: flowers 1–15
Flower: sepals 2–4 mm, unequal, lanceolate to ovate, obtuse or acute, margin glabrous; petals 2–4 mm, ± = sepals, golden to salmon; stamens generally 15–25; styles ± 1 mm
Fruit ± 3 mm
Seed < 1 mm, yellow-brown
Ecology: Wet places
Elevation: 100–3000 m (< 1000 m in NW).
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada (except Tehachapi Mountain Area), Central Coast, San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, Warner Mountains
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Nevada
Highly variable; needs study.