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Nomenclature
Hypericum australe Ten.
Nomenclature
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Genus: HypericumSection: sect. Oligostema
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Synonyms: 9
DIAGNOSTIC DESCRIPTION
Perennial herb 0.08–0.4 m tall, erect to ascending sometimes from prostrate, rooting base, with stems ± numerous, caespitose or spreading, usually unbranched below inflorescence. Stems narrowly 2-lined, eglandular; internodes 5–32(–42) mm, shorter than to exceeding leaves. Leaves sessile or rarely to 0.7 mm petiolate, subappressed to spreading; lamina 5–25 × (2–)4–9 mm, upper oblong to lanceolate or linear, lower elliptic or ovate-elliptic to obovate or oblanceolate, rather paler beneath, chartaceous; apex rounded, margin plane, base subamplexicaul or rounded to narrowly cuneate; venation: 1–4 pairs of main lateral veins from lower ⅓–½ of midrib, branching and reticulating; laminar glands absent; marginal glands black, spaced, subregular. Inflorescence (1–)3–c. 18-flowered, from 1–3 nodes, sometimes with flowering branches from one node below, the whole broadly rounded-pyramidal; pedicels 3–10 mm; bracts and bracteoles narrowly oblong or lanceolate to linear, entire. Flowers 10–20 mm in diam.; buds ovoid-ellipsoid, obtuse. Sepals 5, equal or subequal, free, (2.5–)3.5–5 × 1–1.5 mm, lanceolate to narrowly oblong or narrowly ovate, acute (or occasionally apiculate) to obtuse, entire or with sessile or prominent glands or short glandular cilia; veins 5, unbranched; laminar glands nearly always all black, punctiform to linear; marginal glands black or absent. Petals 5, rich yellow, tinged and veined red, 7–11 × 3–5 mm, 1.5–2 × sepals, oblanceolate to narrowly oblong, rounded; laminar glands pale, linear to punctiform, and often black, distal, striiform to punctiform; marginal glands black, distal, irregular. Stamens 30–36, longest 6–8(–10) mm, 0.85–0.9 × petals. Ovary 2.5–4 × 1–1.5 mm, ± narrowly ovoid; styles 3, 3.5–5 mm, 1.5–2.5 × ovary. Capsule 6–8 ×4-5 mm, 1.6–2 × sepals, narrowly to rather broadly ovoid; valves with numerous longitudinal vittae. Seeds cupreus, 0.6–0.8 mm; testa finely linear-reticulate.