{{Short description|Species of flowering plant in the St John's wort family}} {{Italic title}} {{speciesbox | image = Hypericum hypericoides Arkansas.jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref>{{cite iucn |author=Bárrios, S. |author2=Copeland, A. |date=2021 |title=''Hypericum hypericoides'' |article-number=e.T192160451A192160453 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T192160451A192160453.en |access-date=26 November 2022}}</ref> | genus = Hypericum | parent = Hypericum subsect. Ascyrum | species = hypericoides | authority = (L.) Crantz | synonyms = *''Ascyrum hypericoides'' <small>L.</small> *''Hypericoides perforata'' <small>Poir.</small> | synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://hypericum.myspecies.info/taxonomy/term/910 |title=''Hypericum hypericoides'' (L.) Cr. |work=Hypericum online |access-date=21 February 2016}}</ref> }}
'''''Hypericum hypericoides''''', commonly called '''St. Andrew's cross''', is a species of flowering plant in the St. John's wort family, Hypericaceae. It is native to the Southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm|title=Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States|author=Alan S. Weakley|publisher=Herbarium.unc.edu|access-date=7 December 2014|archive-date=6 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006082209/http://herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Hypericum%20hypericoides.png|format=PNG|title=Floristic synthesis map|publisher=Bonap.net|access-date=7 December 2014}}</ref> Its preferred habitat is dry woods on acidic soil.
It is a small shrub or shrublet that produces yellow flowers with four petals.<ref name="hyp">{{Cite web|url=http://hypericum.myspecies.info/taxonomy/term/910|title=Hypericum hypericoides|website=hypericum.myspecies.info|access-date=2018-10-21}}</ref> Individuals are between 3 and 10 decimeters (approximately 1 to 3.3 feet) in height. Leaves range in shape between linear, elliptic, and oblanceolate in shape, and reach a length between 8 and 26 millimeters long.<ref>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. 709-713. Print.</ref>
There are, according to some classifications, 2 subspecies, ''hypericoides'' and ''multicaule.'' However, the latter of these is usually classified as a separate species, ''Hypericum stragulum''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Wildflower - Reclining St. Andrew's Cross, Multi-stem St. Andrew's-cross, Low St. John's-wort, Straggling St. John's-wort, Decumbent St. Andrew's Cross - Hypericum hypericoides ssp multicaule |url=https://uswildflowers.com/detail.php?SName=Hypericum%20hypericoides%20ssp%20multicaule |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=USWildflowers.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hypericum stragulum (multi-stemmed St. John's-wort, St. Andrew's cross): Go Botany |url=https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/hypericum/stragulum/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Hypericum species Navbox}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q17812225}}
hypericoides Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Flora of the Southeastern United States Category:Flora of Mexico Category:Flora of Central America Category:Flora of the Caribbean Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status