Hypericum mexicanum L.

Shrub or shrublet 0.15-l.5(-2) m tall, erect or decumbent and sometimes rooting at the base, with branches strict, pseudo-dichotomous and sometimes lateral especially from short upper internodes. Stems yellow-brown to orange-brown, 4-lined when young, eventually terete, cortex flaking irregularly; internodes 2-8 mm long. Leaves sessile, outcurving-ascending to imbricate-erect, tetrastichous, deciduous above base usually without withering; lamina 7-17 x 3-10 mm, elliptic or oblanceolate to obovate, plane to subconduplicate, not or scarcely cucullate, not carinate, concolorous, not glaucous, coriaceous; apex obtuse or rounded, base cuneate to angustate, ± sheathing, pairs united to form narrow interfoliar ridge; basal veins 5-7, flabellate, branching and anastomosing distally, reticulation clearly to obscurely visible beneath; laminar glands dense to sparse, usually visible and sometimes slightly prominent beneath; marginal glands secreting viscous clear or white resin. Inflorescence l-5(-13)-flowered, cymose, corymbose, often with 1-3 pairs of pseudo- dichotomous branches from 1-3 nodes close below; peduncle and pedicels 1-6 mm long; upper leaves transitional. Flowers 15-25 mm in diam., stellate. Sepals 5-9 x 2-4 mm, elliptic to oblanceolate-spathulate or obovate, acute to apiculate or obtuse; veins 5-9, sometimes dichotomising distally, with midrib scarcely prominent beneath; glands punctiform distally. Petals golden yellow, (always?) tinged red beneath, 9-12 x 4-9 mm, 1.3-2 x sepals, obovate-oblanceolate to obovate-oblong; apiculus obtuse to obsolete; glands punctiform distally. Stamens c. 50, longest 5-7 mm long, c. 0-5 x petals. Ovary 2.5-3 x 1.8-2 mm, broadly ellipsoid to ovoid; styles 3, 2.5-4 mm long, 1-1.2 x ovary, suberect; stigmas broadly capitate. Capsule 5-7 x 4-6 mm, broadly ellipsoid to subglobose, equalling or exceeding sepals. Seeds c. 0.7 mm long, ecarinate; testa finely scalariform.