St. Andrew's Cross (Hypericum hypericoides ssp. multicaule)

Clusiaceae (St. John's-Wort Family)
Synonym(s): Ascyrum hypericoides var. multicaule, Hypericum hypericoides var. multicaule, Hypericum stragulum

Reclining St. Andrew’s Cross, Multi-stem St. Andrew's-cross. Hypericum hypericoides ssp. multicaule has been classified as a separate species of St. John’s Wort - Hypericum stragulatum in the past. The other (original) subspecies, Hypericum hypericoides ssp. hypericoides, is a taller, erect plant, up to four feet tall, and has leaves which are widest in the middle, whereas those of ssp. multicaule are widest past the middle toward the end of the leaf. The subspecies name multicaule means many-branched. Reclining St. Andrew’s Cross is a short shrub with many branches, forming mats. 

 
As with most Hypericum there are many stamens, although this species has fewer than many. There are four sepals, with the inner ones being smaller than the outer sepals, seen here with the bud below the open blossom.

The stems of Reclining St. Andrew’s Cross may be up to about 10 inches high. The leaves are about an inch long, opposite, and linear to oblanceolate - wider toward the tip than in the middle. 


Photographic Location: Big South Fork National Park.