Hypericum amblycalyx (Nomenclature)
Dwarf shrub, 0.1–0.25 m tall, with stems rather stout to slender, erect to decumbent, branching strictly or divergently at base, with branches ascending to strict along stem, without short axillary shoots. Stems 4-lined, eglandular; internodes 2–10 mm, all (sometimes except uppermost) shorter than leaves. Leaves 4-verticillate, spreading, c. 0.5 mm petiolate, glaucous beneath, (8–)10–14 × c. 1 mm, narrowly linear, apex rounded, margin revolute, base cuneate, 1-veined; laminar glands pale, scattered; intramarginal glands not seen. Inflorescence 3–c. 25-flowered, from 1–2 nodes, lax, broadly pyramidal to corymbiform, 10–40 mm long, without subsidiary branches below; bracts and bracteoles reduced-foliar, entire. Flowers 12–15 mm in diam., buds globose. Sepals equal, basally slightly united, not imbricate, 1–1.5 × 6–8 mm, broadly elliptic to obovate, obtuse to rounded; veins 3, not prominent; margin entire, eglandular; laminar glands pale, linear. Petals bright yellow, not tinged red, deciduous, 7–8(–9) × 2–3 mm, c. 6 × sepals, narrowly oblanceolate to obovate-oblanceolate; marginal glands pale, 1–3, sessile or subsessile, minute; laminar glands pale, few, shortly striiform or absent. Stamens c. 35, longest c. 7 mm, deciduous, c. 0.85 × petals. Ovary 2 × 1 mm, ellipsoid; styles 3 mm, 1.5 × ovary. Capsule 5 × 3 mm, ovoid; valves with or without swollen interrupted dorsal vittae, with oblique swollen lateral vittae or vesicles. Seeds reddish-brown, 1.2–1.5 mm long, cylindric, papillose.
2n = 18 (Contandriopoulos & Lanzalavi, 1968), n = 9 (Contandriopoulos & Lanzalavi, 1968).
Limestone cliffs; 150–900 m.
Eastern Crete.
Hypericum amblycalyx is very close to (derived from?) 4. empetrifolium, but can always be distinguished from it by the leaves in fours and the eglandular sepal margin. It is the eastern member of a species pair, the western member being 6. jovis.