Hypericum helianthemoides (Nomenclature)
Perennial herb, 0.07–0.45(–0.55) m tall, glabrous, erect to suberect, not rooting, branching at base and at all stem nodes; sterile shoots (when present) decumbent. Stems usually with ± numerous small amber or reddish gland dots or short streaks, not or slightly prominent; internodes 6–25 mm, shorter than leaves. Leaves sessile, spreading to erect, sometimes glaucous; lamina (main stem) 3–30(–37) × 1–4 mm, linear, apex obtuse or apiculate to acute, margin revolute, base cuneate, 1-veined or with 1–3 pairs of lateral branches from lower 2/ 3 of midrib, with laminar glands pale, numerous, small, marginal glands pale, dense; leaves(axillary and sterile shoots) smaller, ± crowded. Inflorescence (1)3–∞-flowered, narrowly pyramidal to cylindric, (15–)50– 120 mm long, with lateral cymules 1–2(–4)-flowered, rarely with one pair of lower branches; bracts and bracteoles lanceolate to linear, entire, upper sometimes with marginal black glands. Flowers 8-15 mm in diam., with petals spreading; buds globose. Sepals equal, up to 1/4 united, 1.5–3 × 1–1.3 mm, ovate to broadly oblong, acute to obtuse or rarely rounded; veins 3(5?), often becoming prominent; margin ± regularly glandular-dentate to -fimbriate or rarely glands sessile, with glands black, globose to cylindric; laminar glands pale, in 2(3–4) continuous or interrupted lines. Petals deep to pale yellow, rarely red-tinged, (6–)7–9(10) × 3– 4 mm, 3-4 × sepals, obovate, long-unguiculate, rounded, with marginal glands black, distal, sessile or on cilia or fimbriae; laminar glands pale, punctiform. Stamens c. 40, longest. 4–5 mm, filaments yellow. Ovary 1.5–2 × c. 1 mm, ellipsoid to subglobose, not or scarcely rostrate; styles 2–3 mm, 1.3–1.5 × ovary. Capsule 4–5 × 3– 4 mm, subglobose to globose, not or scarcely rostrate; vittae narrow. Seeds reddish-brown, c. 2 mm long.
Dry stony or marly slopes on limestone; 800–2400 m.
Turkey (extreme eastern Anatolia), Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan.
Hypericum helianthemoides is a variable species, essentially Iranian but extending in range slightly into adjacent regions. It is closely related to H. pseudolaeve, but differs from that species by the globose to subglobose, not rostrate capsule, usually smaller flowers with sepals broader and ¼ or less united, and petals obovate, not oblanceolate.
The variation appears to be continuous, so it is not possible to recognise any subspecies. Sennikov (1993) recognised two, subsp. badchysum Sennikov from eastern Iran (not Afghanistan) and subsp. atropatanum (Rzazade) Sennikov from Nakhchivan, but he does not seem to have been able to study the range of variation in Iran. Rzazade compared his H. atropatanum with H. asperuloides (Sect. 19. Coridium), but Sennikov was correct to include it in H. helianthemoides. Although I have not seen the type, from his description it would appear to differ only in having an ovoid capsule; but I doubt that, if accurate, this is a significant difference.