Volume 8 — PLATE DLII.

HYPERICUM VIRGINICUM.

Virginia Hypericum.

CLASS XVIII. ORDER IV.

POLYADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. Many Brotherhoods. Many Males.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

Calyx 5-partita. Corolla 5-petala. Filamenta multa, in 5 phalanges, basi connata. Capsula locularis.

Empalement 5-parted. Blossom 5-petalled. Threads many, conjoined at the base, in 5 squadrons. Capsule celled.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Hypericum floribus trigynis, enneandris, terminalibus; foliis ellipticis, obtusis, sub-cordatis, amplexicaulibus: caule herbaceo.

Hypericum with flowers three-styled, nine-chived, and terminal. Leaves elliptic, obtuse, nearly heart-shaped, and embracing the stem. Stem herbaceous.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. The empalement. 2. A petal. 3. The chives and pointals, one tip magnified. 4. The pointals. 5. The same cut transversely and magnified.

This hardy little herbaceous plant was introduced by Mr. Lyons from America about the year 1804. There is no figure of it extant that we know of. Willdenow in his Species Plantarum has enumerated eighty-eight species of Hypericum; but amongst that number three distinct genera are certainly included. Our drawing was made from plants in the nursery of Messrs. Whitley and Brames, who raised them from seed, and with whom they flowered the second year. Their bloom is but of short duration, but few flowers are open at one time; and we are inclined to think that they will expand with more freedom and last longer in a shady situation than when fully exposed to the solar ray.