Family HYPERICACEAE
Description: Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs.
Leaves opposite or rarely in whorls of 3 or 4, simple, entire [or with glandular teeth, often marked with glandular, translucent, red or black dots or striations; stipules absent.
Inflorescence terminal or axillary, cymose or paniculate, or flowers solitary. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual and unisexual, plants polygamous and dioecious. Sepals and petals in whorls of 2–6, free. Stamens numerous, free or variously united into bundles or reduced to staminodes; anthers 2-locular, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, generally of 3–5 carpels; loculi as many as carpels, or ovary 1-locular; styles usually free; placentation commonly parietal; ovules (5–)many.
Fruit a septicidal capsule or a fleshy drupe or berry.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 9 genera, c. 560 species, worldwide. Australia: 2 genera, 12 species, all States, chiefly SE Australia
External links:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Family: Hypericaceae, Order: Malpighiales)
Wikipedia Included in Clusiaceae in Fl NSW 1991, 2000
Text by C. Miller
Taxon concept:
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