Hypericaceae

Trees, shrubs or perennial or annual herbs. Leaves simple, opposite and decussate (Mal. spp.), entire (Mal. spp.), sessile to shortly petioled, often with ± translucent and sometimes black or red glandular dots and/or lines. Stipules 0. Inflorescences terminal and sometimes axillary, very rarely axillary only, cymose to thyrsoid or rarely racemose, bracteate at least initially, 1-~-flowered. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, homostylous or heterodistylous. Sepals 5 (Mal. spp.), free or ± united, imbricate, entire or with margin variously divided and often glandular, lamina glandular like the leaves, usually with greater proportion of glands linear rather than punctiform, persistent (Mal. spp.). Petals 5 (Mal. spp.), free, imbricate (contorted), alternisepalous, entire or with margin variously divided and often glandular, lamina usually glandular like the leaves, sometimes with nectariferous basal appendage, glabrous (Mal. spp.), caducous or persistent. Stamen fascicles 5 (Mal. spp.), epipetalous, free or variously united, each with 1-~ stamens; filaments variously united or sometimes apparently free, the free part usually slender; anthers 2-thecal, dorsifixed, often with gland terminating connective. Staminodial fascicles 3 or 0 (Mal. spp.), when present alternating with stamen fascicles. Ovary 1, superior, 5—3-celled or 1-celled with 5-2 parietal placentas; styles 5-3 (2), free or ± united, ± slender; stigma punctiform to capitate; ovules ~-2 on each placenta (Mal. spp.), anatropous, horizontal or ascending. Fruit capsular (Mal. spp.), dehiscing septicidally or loculicidally. Seeds ~-1 on each placenta, sometimes winged or carinate; embryo cylindric, straight or curved, with cotyledons longer to shorter than hypocotyl; endosperm absent. Distribution. There are 7 genera with c. 550 spp., cosmopolitan except for Arctic regions and most of Polynesia, but only Hypericum and Triadenum occur outside the tropics and immediately adjacent areas. Of the three tribes, the Vismieae (3 genera) occur in Africa (including Madagascar) and America, the Cratoxyleae (3 genera) in Madagascar, Indo-Malesia, E. Asia and NE. America, and the Hypericeae (Hypericum) throughout most of the range of the family except for most lowland tropical areas. In Malesia only two genera are present: Cratoxylum BL. and Hypericum L.