Hypericum hypericoides (L.) Crantz

St. andrew's cross (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Malpighiales > Hypericaceae > Hypericum

Characteristics

Subshrubs or shrubs, erect or decumbent to prostrate, unbranched or branched, sometimes diffuse and mat-forming, 0.5–3 or 3–15 dm. Stems: internodes 2-winged. Leaf blades oblanceolate or narrowly oblong or elliptic to linear, 7–25 x 1–8.5 mm, base not articulated, usually cuneate, sometimes rounded, <with glandlike auricles>, margins subrecurved, apex rounded to obtuse, midrib with 1–2 pairs of branches. Inflorescences <narrowly cylindric to pyramidal>, 1–12-flowered from 1–4 nodes, sometimes with branches from to 10 proximal nodes, or branching more elaborate and pseudodichotomous; <pedicels erect in fruit, bracteoles distal>. Flowers 10–20 mm diam.; sepals persistent, enclosing capsule, 4, unequal, outer ovate-suborbiculate to narrowly elliptic, 5–12.5 × 2–13 mm, <apex subapiculate to obtuse>, inner lanceolate, 1–4 × 2 mm, <apex acute>; petals 4, bright to pale yellow, obovate to narrowly oblong-elliptic, 6–12 mm; stamens persistent, 40–50; ovary 2-merous. Capsules narrowly compressed-ovoid to cylindric-ellipsoid, 5–9 × 2–4 mm. Seeds not carinate, 0.6–0.8 mm; testa finely linear-reticulate to linear-foveolate.
More
Shrub (3–)5–12(–15) dm, generally with a single main stem below and freely branched above; lvs firm, articulate at the narrow base, obtuse or rounded above, 1–3 cm × 1.5–6 mm, variable in shape but typically linear-elliptic to linear-oblong and broadest near the middle; bracteoles subulate, borne within 1 mm of the cal; 2 outer sep mostly 6–11 × 3–12 mm, rounded at base, obscurely 3–5-nerved, the 2 inner much smaller or even obsolete; pet 4, yellow, narrowly oblong-elliptic, 8–11 mm; stamens numerous, the filaments distinct or weakly connate at base; styles 2, very short; fr unilocular, enclosed by or somewhat exserted from the persistent cal. Dry or moist, sandy or rocky soil; N.J. and Md. to Ky., s. Mo., and Okla., s. to Fla., Tex., W.I., and C. Amer. June–Aug. (Ascyrum h.)
Life form perennial
Growth form shrub
Growth support -
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 1.2
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Dry sandy soils.
Light 4-9
Soil humidity 1-6
Soil texture 3-6
Soil acidity 3-7
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 5-8

Usage

Uses medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use Snake Bite Remedy (root), Strengthener (root), Abortifacient (unspecified), Antidiarrheal (unspecified), Dermatological Aid (unspecified), Febrifuge (unspecified), Gastrointestinal Aid (unspecified), Hemostat (unspecified), Venereal Aid (unspecified), Astringent (unspecified), Lithontriptic (unspecified), Resolvent (unspecified), Tumor (unspecified), Purgative (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) 30 - 90
Germination temperacture (C°) 10 - 12
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Hypericum hypericoides habit picture by Aaron Harp (cc-by-sa)
Hypericum hypericoides habit picture by Eli Small (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Hypericum hypericoides leaf picture by Eli Small (cc-by-sa)
Hypericum hypericoides leaf picture by Eli Small (cc-by-sa)
Hypericum hypericoides leaf picture by Aaron Harp (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Hypericum hypericoides flower picture by Ashley Scholer (cc-by-sa)
Hypericum hypericoides flower picture by Alison Brown (cc-by-sa)
Hypericum hypericoides flower picture by Bev Short (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Hypericum hypericoides world distribution map, present in Australia and United States of America

Conservation status

Hypericum hypericoides threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:433503-1
WFO ID wfo-0000727755
COL ID 3NPPC
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Ascyrum hypericoides Hypericum hypericoides var. hypericoides Ascyrum hypericoides var. typicum Hypericum hypericoides

Lower taxons

Hypericum hypericoides subsp. hypericoides Hypericum hypericoides subsp. multicaule