Hypericum nitidum
in J. Lamarck et al., Encycl. 4: 160. 1797.
Shrubs, erect, forming dense thickets, 3–45 dm, bark smooth, not metallic-silvery. Stems: internodes 4-lined at first, becoming 2-winged, then terete. Leaf-blades linear or linear-subulate, 9–26 × 0.5–1.5 mm, base articulated, narrowly cuneate or parallel, margins revolute, apex rounded or acute to long-acuminate with prominent hydathode, midrib unbranched. Inflorescences narrowly to broadly cylindric, 3–15-flowered, sometimes with 1–3 (–7) -flowered dichasia from to 6 proximal nodes, sometimes with 1–2 pairs of additional flowering branches. Flowers 10–18 mm diam.; sepals deciduous, not enclosing capsule, 5, linear-subulate, unequal to subequal, 3.5–7 × 0.4–0.8 mm; petals 5, yellow, obovate to elliptic-lanceolate, (5–) 6–10 mm; stamens deciduous, 50–80 (–115); ovary 3-merous; styles shorter than ovaries. Capsules narrowly conic to cylindric, (4.5–) 5–7 × (1.3–) 2–3 mm. Seeds scarcely carinate, 0.5 mm; testa finely reticulate.
Distribution
Ala., Fla., Ga., N.C., S.C., West Indies (Cuba), Central America (Belize)
Discussion
Subspecies 3 (2 in the flora).
The two subspecies of Hypericum nitidum present in North America apparently remain distinct there; the distinctions are less clear in Cuba, where subsp. cubense (Turczaninow) N. Robson is also present.
Selected References
None.
Key
| 1 | Plants to 45+ dm, with ± numerous, stout, bushy-branched stems from base; leaf blade margins loosely inrolled, apex obtuse to rounded-apiculate; sepal apices shortly apiculate to acute. | Hypericum nitidum subsp. nitidum |
| 1 | Plants 3–10 dm, with ± few, slender, little-branched stems from base; leaf blade margins tightly inrolled, apex acute to long-acuminate; sepal apices acute to long-acuminate. | Hypericum nitidum subsp. exile |