Hypericum monogynum L.

Hypericum monogynum is very variable, but there are no gaps in the variation that would allow infraspecific classification. Four main forms can be recognized:

(i) Leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, base cuneate, apex acute; inflorescence very lax; sepals narrowly elliptic, apex acute ("salicifolium"). W Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan.

(ii) Leaves narrowly oblong to lanceolate, base usually rounded, apex obtuse to rounded; inflorescence less lax; sepals narrowly oblong, obtuse ("obtusifolium"). E Hubei and Jiangxi southward and eastward to the coast; Taiwan, where the leaves are oblanceolate.

(iii) Leaves broadly oblong to broadly elliptic or lanceolate, base cuneate to cordate, apex acute to rounded; sepals broadly elliptic to broadly oblong or leaflike ("latisepalum"). W Hubei, Sichuan; also Guizhou and Shandong (probably introduced).

(iv) Leaves broadly elliptic-oblong to triangular-ovate or ovate, base broadly cuneate to rounded, apex obtuse to rounded; sepals narrowly elliptic, apex acute ("ovatum"). Sichuan.

Shrub 0.5-1.3 m tall, bushy. Stems spreading; branches 2(4)-lined at first, eventually terete. Leaves sessile or with petiole up to 1.5 mm long; lamina 20-45 mm long, 10-17 mm broad, elliptic to oblong or oblanceolate, apex obtuse or apiculate to rounded, base cuneate to subcordate, venation densely reticulate. Inflorescence of 1-c.15-flowered corymbose cymes; flowers 3-5 cm diameter. Sepals 4.5-10 mm long, narrowly elliptic or narrowly oblong to lanceolate, acute to rounded, entire, spreading or ascending in bud and fruit. Petals narrowly obovate, 20-30 mm long, slightly exceeding stamens. Stamens 25-35 in each fascicle. Ovary 2.5-4 mm long; styles c. 3.5-5 x longer than the ovary, united almost to the apex. Capsule 6-10 mm long, broadly ovoid or ovoid-conic to subglobose, without vittae or vesicles. Seeds 1-1.2 mm long, apiculate, narrowly carinate; testa shallowly linear-reticulate to linear-foveolate.

Shrubs, 0.5-1.3 m tall, bushy or usually with branches lax, spreading. Stems 2(-4)-lined and ancipitous when young, soon terete; internodes 1-5 cm, shorter than leaves. Leaves with petiole 1.5-2 mm; blade oblong to elliptic, 2.5-5 × 1.2-2.3 cm, thickly papery, abaxially paler but not glaucous; laminar glands very small dots; abaxial glands absent; main lateral veins 2- or 3-paired, all or upper sometimes uniting with midvein branches to form ± arched intramarginal vein, tertiary reticulation very dense, not very conspicuous; base cuneate to subangustate, apex acute to rounded. Inflorescence 1-15(-30)-flowered, from apical node, lax, shallowly round-topped, sometimes also from uppermost 1-3 nodes, rarely with 1 or 2 pairs of flowering branches; bracts caducous, linear-lanceolate, small. Pedicels 0.8-2.8(-5) cm. Flowers 3-6.5 cm in diam., stellate; buds ovoid, apex subacute to obtuse. Sepals ± spreading, broadly to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, equal to unequal, 4.5-13 × 1.5-6 mm; laminar glands basally lines to streaks, dots toward apex, margin entire, apex acute to rounded. Petals golden yellow to lemon yellow, triangular-obovate, 2-3.4 × 1-2 cm, 2.5-4.5 × as long as sepals; margin entire, eglandular; apiculus lateral, acute to rounded or obsolete. Stamen fascicles each with 25-35 stamens, longest 1.8-3.2 cm, ca. as long as petals. Ovary ovoid or ovoid-conic to subglobose, 2.5-5 × 2.5-3 mm; styles 1.2-2 cm, 3.5-5 × as long as ovary, united nearly to apices then outcurved or very rarely to half free. Capsule broadly ovoid or rarely ovoid-conic to subglobose, 6-10 × 4-7 mm. Seeds dark reddish brown, ca. 2 mm, narrowly carinate; testa linear-reticulate. Fl. May-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep. 2n = 42*.

Distribution: S.E. China, Taiwan. Cultivated in many parts of the world, including the plains of W. Pakistan.

Fl. Per.: Early spring months.

● Mountain slopes, roadsides, thickets in dry habitats; sea level to 200 m in lowland provinces, but up to 1500 m in Sichuan. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Japan (naturalized); widely cultivated in S Africa, E and S Asia, Australia, Central America, N and W Europe, Mauritius, and the West Indies].

Hypericum chinense Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 2: 1184. 1759, not Osbeck (1757), nor Retzius (1788); H. chinense subsp. latifolium Kuntze; H. chinense subsp. obtusifolium Kuntze; H. chinense subsp. salicifolium (Siebold & Zuccarini) Kuntze; H. chinense var. salicifolium (Siebold & Zuccarini) Choisy; H. monogynum var. salicifolium (Siebold & Zuccarini) André; H. salicifolium Siebold & Zuccarini; Komana salicifolia (Siebold & Zuccarini) Y. Kimura ex Honda; Norysca chinensis (Linnaeus) Spach; N. chinensis var. salicifolia (Siebold & Zuccarini) Y. Kimura; N. salicifolia (Siebold & Zuccarini) K. Koch.

Flowering from May to August; fruiting from August to September.

Hypericum monogynum is close relative of Hypericum prattii, but differs from the latter in its leaves with base cuneate to rounded, or if cordate then apex rounded (vs, base cordate-amplexicaul, apex acute to acuminate), leaf blade usually broadest at or above middle (vs. elliptic-ovate to broadly ovate).

Hypericum monogynum is occurring in Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnanm Zhejiang of Chian, Japan, widely cultivated in S Africa, E and S Asia, Australia, Central America, N and W Europe, Mauritius, and the West Indies.

Shrubs, 0.5-1.3 m tall, bushy or usually with branches lax, spreading. Stems 2-4-lined and ancipitous when young, soon terete; internodes 1-5 cm, shorter than leaves. Leaves with petiole 1.5-2 mm; blade oblong to elliptic, 2.5-5 cm long, 1.2-2.3 cm wide, thickly papery, abaxially paler but not glaucous; laminar glands very small dots; abaxial glands absent; main lateral veins 2-3-paired, all or upper sometimes uniting with midvein branches to form ± arched intramarginal vein, tertiary reticulation very dense, not very conspicuous; base cuneate to subangustate, apex acute to rounded. Inflorescence 3-20-flowered, from apical node, lax, shallowly round-topped, sometimes also from uppermost 1-3 nodes, rarely with 1 or 2 pairs of flowering branches; bracts caducous, linear-lanceolate, small. Pedicels 0.8-2.8 cm. Flowers 3-6.5 cm in diameter, stellate; buds ovoid, apex subacute to obtuse. Sepals broadly to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, equal to unequal, 4.5-13 mm long, 1.5-6 mm wide; laminar glands basally lines to streaks, dots toward apex, margin entire, apex acute to rounded. Petals golden yellow to lemon yellow, triangular-obovate, 2-3.4 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, 2.5-4.5 times as long as sepals; margin entire, eglandular; apiculus lateral, acute to rounded or obsolete. Stamen fascicles each with 25-35 stamens, longest 1.8-3.2 cm, ca. as long as petals. Ovary ovoid or ovoid-conic to subglobose, 2.5-5 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide; styles 1.2-2 cm, 3.5-5 times as long as ovary, united nearly to apices then outcurved or very rarely to half free. Capsule broadly ovoid or rarely ovoid-conic to subglobose, 6-10 mm long, 4-7 mm wide. Seeds dark reddish brown, ca. 2 mm, narrowly carinate; testa linear-reticulate.

Growing in mountain slopes, roadsides, thickets in dry habitats; 200-1500 m.