Hypericum tetrapetalum
| Hypericum tetrapetalum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Photo taken by Gil Nelson | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons |
| Order: | Theales |
| Family: | Clusiaceae ⁄ Guttiferae |
| Genus: | Hypericum |
| Species: | H. tetrapetalum |
| Binomial name | |
| Hypericum tetrapetalum (L.) Crantz | |
| |
| Natural range of Hypericum tetrapetalum from USDA NRCS Plants Database. | |
Common name: fourpetal St. Johnswort
Contents
Taxonomic notes
Description
H. tetrapetalum is a slender plant, usually with few branchings (FSU Herbarium). As its name implies, this species has a tetramerous calyx and corolla (FSU Herbarium).
“Usually glabrous herbs or shrubs. Leaves usually punctate, simple, opposite, entire, usually sessile or subsessile, exstipulate. Inflorescence basically cymose; flowers perfect, regular, bracteates, subsessile or short-pedicellate, sepals 2, 4, or 5, persistent; petals 4 or 5, usually marcescent, yellow or pink; stamens 5-numerous, separate or connate basally forming 3-5 clusters or fascicles, filaments usually persistent; carpels 2-5, stigmas and styles separate or fused, ovary superior, 1-locular or partly or wholly 2-5 locular, placentation axile or parietal. Capsules basically ovoid, longitudinally dehiscent, styles usually persistent; seeds numerous, lustrous, areolate, cylindric or oblong. In general our species form a polymorphic complex with many intergrading taxa.” – Radford et al 1964
Distribution
Ecology
Habitat
H. tetrapetalum occurs in wet sandy soils, like those of wetland woodlands, mesic flatwoods, or the margins of Karst ponds (FSU Herbarium). It can also occur in disturbed areas like roadsides (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Pinus palutris, Hypericum microsepalum, and Serenoa repens (FSU Herbarium). Also include gallberry (FSU Herbarium).
Phenology
This species is recorded in the FSU Herbarium specimens as flowering in August, but in peninsular Florida it can bloom throughout the year[1].
Pollination
The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Hypericum tetrapetalum at Archbold Biological Station (Deyrup 2015):
Halictidae: Augochlorella aurata, Augochloropsis metallica, Lasioglossum coreopsis, L. miniatulus
Megachilidae: Megachile brevis pseudobrevis
Use by animals
Deyrup observed these bees on, but not necessarily pollinating, H. tetrapetalum: Augochlorella aurata, Dialictzcs coreopsis, D. lniniatulusi.[2]
References and notes
Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: R. A. Norris, Robert K. Godfrey, Steve L. Orzell, and Cecil R Slaughter. States and Counties: Florida: Alachua, Leon, Osceola, and Wakulla. Georgia: Camden and Clinch.
Radford, Albert E., Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. 1964, 1968. The University of North Carolina Press. 709. Print.
- ↑ Jason Sharp post to Florida Botany with image of flowering plant, 1 FEB 2016
- ↑ Deyrup, M. J. E., and Beth Norden (2002). "The diversity and floral hosts of bees at the Archbold Biological Station, Florida (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)." Insecta mundi 16(1-3).
