Hypericum setosum

Hypericum setosum
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. setosum
Binomial name
Hypericum setosum L.
Natural range of Hypericum setosum from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: Hairy St. John's wort

Description

Hypericum setosum is a perennial herbaceous species.

“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

"Erect, pubescent annual or biennial, 2-7.5 dm tall, sparingly branched. Leaves ascending, elliptic lanceolate, or ovate, 1-nerved, 3-15 mm long, 2—8 mm wide, acute, base clasping, sessile. Flowers alternate or terminal, ascending branches. Sepals 5, ciliate, 3-4.5 mm long; petals 5, 4-7 mm long; stamens numerous, in clusters; stigmas capitates, styles 3 or4, separate, 1.5-2.5 mm long, ovary 1-locular. Capsules ovoid, 4-5 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm broad seeds yellow, 0.5 mm long." - Radford et al 1964

Ecology

Habitat

H. setosum occurs in moist or dry loamy sand, and seems to prefer open light conditions (FSU Herbarium). It can be found in pinewoods, bordering swampy depressions, and in open wiregrass flats in longleaf pinelands (FSU Herbarium). On the other hand, this species also appears in disturbed areas, including ditches and power line corridors (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Pinus palutris and Aristida stricta (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

Flowering has been observed in August and September, while fruiting has been observed in September and October (FSU Herbarium).

Seed bank and germination

Several short-lived perennial forbs also have a seed bank persistent for at least several years.

Fire ecology

This species has been found in habitat that is often maintained by fire (FSU Herbarium).

References and notes

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Wilson Baker, R. A. Norris, and M. Davis. States and Counties: Florida: Gadsden, Liberty, and Wakulla. Georgia: Grady and Thomas.

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. 709-715. Print.