Hypericum magdalenicum (Nomenclature)
Shrubor small tree (0.2-)0.7-l.5(-2) m tall, erect, with branches strict, pseudo-dichotomous and sometimes with 2-3 laterals closely beneath flower. Stems orange-brown, 4-lined and compressed when young, the subfoliar ridges broad, soon terete, cortex exfoliating irregularly; internodes 2-4 mm long. Leaves sessile, densely imbricate, erect or outcurving, markedly tetrastichous, deciduous above base without fading; lamina 8-18 x 2-6.2 mm, broadly to rather narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, plane to incurved-conduplicate, not or slightly cucullate, midrib plane or slightly impressed beneath, margin not distinct, epidermis sometimes undulate, concolorous, some- times glaucous, ± thinly to thickly coriaceous; apex acute, base narrowly cuneate, scarcely sheathing, pairs united to form narrow interfoliar ridge; basal vein 1 , with c. 3-4 pairs of ascending lateral branches, sometimes branching distally, not prominent or impressed beneath, tertiary reticulation not visible; laminar glands ± dense, sometimes visible beneath. Inflorescence 1-flowered, with pseudo-dichotomous branches from node below; pedicel 4-5 mm long, not incrassate upwards; upper leaves not transitional. Flowers 20-30 mm in diam., stellate. Sepals (7-)9-ll x (2-)2.5-3 mm, elliptic, acute, veins c. 9-11, obscurely reticulating distally, with midrib not or slightly prominent; glands linear, punctiform near apex. Petals deep yellow, (10-)14-17 x (5-)9-ll mm, 1.5-2 x sepals, obovate; apiculus acute; glands linear, distally interrupted to punctiform. Stamens c. 100-120, longest c. 5-8 mm long, c. 0.5 x petals. Ovary 2.5-3 x 1.5-2 mm, ellipsoid to subglobose; styles 3, 6-7.5 mm long, 2.5-3.5 x ovary, spreading-incurving; stigmas narrow to narrowly capitate. Capsule (6-)8-9 x 4-6 mm, ellipsoid, shorter than sepals. Seeds c. 1-2 mm long, ecarinate; testa finely scalariform.
In paramo forest, scrub or damp grassland; 2400-4875 m.
Colombia (Magdalena), Venezuela (Zulia and Mérida). In the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Sierra de Períja, with one probably conspecific record from the Páramo del Molino.
H. magdalenicum differs from the sessile-leaved form of H. pimeleoides by (i) the leaves with pinnate venation but with a scarcely sheathing base and (ii) the narrower petals and sepals and usually shorter styles.
H. magdalenicum, which has a pivotal position in relation to over half the remaining species of sect. Brathys (Spp. 54-66)[67?], is rather variable. The nearest form to H. pimeleoides (from Sierra de Santa Marta, Rio Sevilla) has relatively broad, plane leaves with conspicuous gland dots beneath. Most other forms from Sierra de Santa Marta, as well as those from Sierra de Períja, have narrower, incurved-conduplicate leaves in which the gland dots are inconspicuous or superficially invisible (except in some Sierra de Períja populations). Of these, the population from the Rio Donachui area has stiffly erect, relatively thick stems and markedly imbricate leaves (tending towards 53.H. bolivaricumand 56H. parallelum), whereas the other populations have more divergent, relatively thin stems and less markedly imbricate, though distinctly tetrastichous leaves (tending towards 58.H. lancifolium and its relatives).