Small shrub to 2.5 m (8 ft) tall. Bark papery, whitish, exfoliating. Leaves opposite, entire, sessile, narrowly oblong, 3-7 cm (1.2-2.8 in) long and about 1/3 as wide, short-pointed, tapered to base, sometimes with smaller leaves in the axils of the primary leaves. Flowers in terminal corymbs and axils of upper leaves; sepals 5, small; petals yellow, 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8 in) long; stamens numerous; styles 3. Capsules ovoid, 8-15 mm (0.3-0.6 in) long, 3-carpellate.
Distribution: Native to much of the eastern U. S. and southeastern Canada.
Habitat: Dry upland oak-hickory and oak-pine forests.
NWI status: FACU
Comment: Hypericum is a Latinization of the old Greek name for a European species of the genus; prolificum means "abundant in number".
Distribution in Oklahoma:
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Last update: 9/10/99
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