Hypericum ternatum (Nomenclature)
Shrublet 0.08-0.15(-0.27) m tall, much branched, strongly lignified, round-topped to irregularly hemispherical, with branches erect to divergent-ascending or prostrate (typical dwarf espalier shrub - Hagemann, 1989: 288); wholly glabrous, red or black glands sometimes present in flowers. Stems 3-angled (6-lined) at first, eventually terete; cortex green; bark smooth, cinnamon-brown. Leaves all 3-whorled or uppermost paired, free, petiolate, with petiole 0.4-1 mm long; lamina (2-) 3-8(-10) x 1.2-2.4 mm, oblanceolate to elliptic, concolorous, glaucous, subcoriaceous: apex rounded, margin recurved-subindurate, base narrowly cuneate; venation: 1 pair of laterals sometimes discernible; laminar glands dense to sparse, scarcely prominent; intramarginal glands dense. Inflorescence 1(- 3)-flowered, terminal and in uppermost leaf axils; bracteoles 1-2.5 mm long, linear, submembranous; pedicels 3-11 mm long, slender. Flowers c. 15 mm in diam.; buds ovoid-pyramidal, subacute. Sepals green or pink-tinged, (2-)3-4(-5) x 0.75-2 mm, free, not imbricate, equal, lanceolate to linear, acute chartaceous, margin entire to subentire or minutely denticulate; veins 3(5), not prominent or branched; laminar glands pale, punctiform, sparse; marginal or intramarginal glands 1-c. 16, black or reddish, or none. Petals yellow, sometimes veined red, 7-10(-12?) x 2-3 mm, c. 3 x sepals, elliptic to oblong, rounded, eglandular or with indistinct pale dots toward apex. Stamens c. 10, longest 6-8 mm, c. 0.8 x petals; anther gland (always?) black. Ovary 2-2.5 x 1-1.5 mm, narrowly ovoid- ellipsoid, acute; styles c. 3 mm long, 1.5 x ovary, curved-ascending. Capsule 5-6 x 3-3.5 mm, ovoid-conic, narrowly acute, subcoriaceous, with valves longitudinally vittate, exceeding sepals. Seeds blackish, c. 1.7 mm long, narrowly carinate; testa linear- foveolate.
In fissures of limestone or conglomerate rocks and cliffs, usually in the Cedrus or Pinus woodland belt; sea level and 1600-1900 m.
Turkey (Pisidian Taurus, Pamphylia).
H. ternatum is a morphological link between the Socotran species and H. pallens, although the apparently constantly 3-whorled arrangement of the leaves differentiates it from both. It is known as yet only from (i) two adjacent mountains on the border of vilayets Antalya and Isparta (Bozburun dağ and Sarp dağ) and (ii) a small island off the coast and another, mainland, locality, both near Finike, south of Tahtali dağ. It seems idle to speculate on the significance of this bitopic distribution, at least until more data are available.