Hypericum valleanum (Nomenclature)
Shrubc.lm tall, erect, with branches strict, pseudo-dichotomous and lateral. Stems orange-brown, compressed? when young, soon subterete to terete, cortex exfoliating irregularly; internodes 1-2 mm long. Leaves sessile, subimbricate, narrowly spreading and twisting, subtetrastichous, deciduous above base without fading; lamina 11-17 x 2-3 mm, narrowly elliptic, shallowly incurved, not cucullate, midrib impressed, margin very narrowly hyaline, concolorous, not glaucous, coriaceous; apex sharply acute, base angustate, not sheathing, pairs united to form very narrow interfoliar ridge; basal vein 1, unbranched; laminar glands dense, large, visible beneath. Inflorescence 1-flowered, with pseudo-dichotomous branches from node below; pedicel stout, 3-4 mm long; upper leaves not transitional. Flowers c. 20 mm in diam.?, stellate. Sepals 7-10 x 2-2.8 mm, narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, acute to acuminate, incurved above, margin narrowly hyaline, veins 5, the outer branched, midrib not or scarcely prominent; glands linear, distally punctiform. Petals bright (?) yellow, 10-12 x 5-6 mm, c. 1.2-1.4 x sepals, obovate; apiculus sharply acute; glands striiform to punctiform. Stamens c. 60 ?, longest 5-6 mm long, c. 0.5 x petals. Ovary c.2x 1.5 mm, ellipsoid; styles 3, c. 3 mm long, c. 1.5 x ovary, stout, suberect; stigmas narrow. Capsule and seeds not seen.
In páramo; 3750 m.
Colombia (Valle de Cauca). Known only from the type collection.
H. valleanum is intermediate in form and distribution between the more primitive form of H. magdalenicum (with broad punctate leaves) and H. sprucei, differing from the former by its shorter styles and narrower leaves, and from the latter by its broader, thicker, and densely punctate (not cucullate) leaves and its stout styles and generally stronger habit. It appears to be a relict population.