Hypericum nitidum

Lamarck

in J. Lamarck et al., Encycl. 4: 160. 1797.

Synonyms: Myriandra nitida (Lamarck) Spach
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 79. Mentioned on page 76, 80, 81.

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

V6 124-distribution-map.jpg

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