Hypericum reptans Hook. f. & Thomson ex Dyer

Hypericum species are herbs, shrubs or small trees. Branchlets terete, bi or quadrangular, glabrous or pubescent with simple hairs. Leaves simple, opposite, decussate rarely whorled, lanceolate-obovate to elliptic-oblong, margins entire or gland fringed, apex acute to obtuse, leaf lamina containing red or black glands contain hypercin or pseudohypercin, transparent glands contain essential oils, petiole short or sessile, exstipulate. Inflorescence solitary or monochasial or dichasial terminal cymes or panicles, heterostylous or homostylous. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, pedicel short, bracteoles minute, caducous, sepals 5, quincuncial, or decussate when 4, equal or not, lanceolate-ovate, chartaceous, coriaceous, glandular punctate, persistent or caducous, petals 5 or 4, oblanceolate to obovate, yellow or greenish yellow, caducous or persistent. Stamens 1-120, free or in bundles or fascicles 3 to 5, free or united, antisepals, deciduous or persistent, anthers dorsifixed, yellow or reddish, connectives with usually with black amber gland. Ovary superior, globose, 1-5 locular, syncarpus, ovules many rarely few, axil placentation or pseudo central placentation, styles 3-5, free or united, stigma 3, capitate. Fruit capsule septicidal, ovoid-subglobose, when unilocular or indehiscent, dehiscing along placenta. Seeds 1-numerous, ellipsoid-cylindric, testa striated, winged or carinate, brown, embryo slender, erect.

Hypericum species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: July-August/September-October.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Undershrubs or shrubs, about 20-40 cm. Stem prostrate or decumbent, caespitose, reddish brown, much branched from nodes, rooting at nodes, internodes about 5-15 mm long, branches 2-4 lined when young becoming terete, glabrous. Leaves simple, opposite, decussate, ovate-oblong to elliptic-oblong, about 8-12 x 3-5 mm across, base acute to attenuate, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded, leaf lamina contain obscurely pellucid punctate black glands or steaks, green glabrous above and paler glaucous beneath, midrib impressed above and prominent beneath, lateral veins about 3-4 on either side of the midrib, petiole sessile, exstipulate. Inflorescence solitary, terminal. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, about 2-3 cm across, pedicel about 4-9 mm long, bracts lanceolate, foliaceous, persistent, sepals 5, unequal, obovate-ovate, chartaceous, glandular punctate with black glands, persistent, apex crenulate, about 8.5-9 x 3-4 mm across, petals 5, oblanceolate-obovate, yellow or golden yellow, membranous, dichotomously veined prominently, margins incurved or entire, sparsely punctate with black glands, about 13-15 x 10-12 mm across. Stamens 15-18, in bundles or fascicles 3, free, antisepals, filaments linear, filiform, glabrous, unequal about 4-7 mm long, anthers dorsifixed, yellow or reddish. Ovary superior, globose-subglobose, 3 locular, syncarpus, about 4-5 mm long, ovules many, axil placentation, styles 5, free from the base, erect, apex recurved, about 3-3.7 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruit capsule septicidal, ovoid-globose, about 6-7 x 5-6 mm across, apex obtuse, somewhat fleshy, with persistent style. Seeds numerous, oblong, about 0.7 mm across, apiculate on both the ends, testa reticulate-scalariform, brown.

Hypericum species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus, and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

Eastern Himalayas on rocky and grassy slopes, altitude 2700-3000 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).