unknown red-budded plant need ID

[TheOnionMan]

This plant shown here was taken by an acquaintance, photographed at Wisley in their alpine house, said to labeled Hypericum pallens.  When I look up that name in the Annotated Checklist of the flowering plants of Nepal, it is listed as a synonym for H. elodeoides.  The illustration of H. elodeoides doesn't look anything like the photo of the subject plant:

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=110&taxon_id=200014205
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=94193&flora_id=2

In the upper right corner of the photo can be seen one bud opening a bit revealing yellowish petals, or so it seems.  I'm not entirely convinced it is a Hypericum, I've seen some with red berries but not with buds such a brilliant red color.  Any one have an idea about what it might be?  Looks almost like a Correa, but with upright flowers, although I don't think that is it either.

[Lesley Cox]

The foliage and habit are like those of Hypericum kelleri but it has smaller, yellow flowers from red buds. This looks a little stunner. Whatever its generic name, surely "pallens" is a misnomer.

[TheOnionMan]

The foliage and habit are like those of Hypericum kelleri but it has smaller, yellow flowers from red buds. This looks a little stunner. Whatever its generic name, surely "pallens" is a misnomer.

Thanks for your thoughts on this Lesley.  Hmmm, never heard of H. kelleri... apparently a European species.  I didn't spend too much time searching, but found these links for H. kelleri... very nice little Hypericum indeed, one that I'm happy to learn about, but I think the mystery red-budded plant remains a mystery.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nturland/2245426569/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nturland/2246222404/in/photostream/

[Maggi Young]

I've sent Paul Cumbleton a message about this... he should be able to help. 

[Paul Cumbleton]

Hi Mark,
You are correct that the plant in your photo is labelled Hypericum pallens. While I am no expert in Hypericums, I do believe this is correct. The description of this plant in the AGS Encyclopaedia fits the plant very well, including the crimson buds:

"Evergreen shrublet, usually of spreading and eventually rather thin habit, with stems up to 25cm in length. Leaves 5 to 25 mm long, usually oblong to elliptic, sometimes obovate. Flowers 1.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter, in terminal clusters, of one to three, the buds tipped sealing-wax red, summer. Turkey to Western Syria, among limestone rocks up to 1700m."

The Encyclopadia also gives the synonym Hypericum cuneatum (no mention of H. elodeiodes) under which this plant is perhaps better known. There is a good picture of a plant in flower, also showing the red buds, at http://www.henriettesherbal.com/pictures/p07/pages/hypericum-cuneatum.htm
The plant in that picture looks exactly like our plant.

So I think our name is correct, but remain unclear where H. eleiodes fits into all this.

Hope this is of some help

Paul

[TheOnionMan]

Thank Paul, there is a resemblance to the plant shown on Henriettes Herbal site, although the photo I showed (from a facebook post) looks much brighter red in bud with a somewhat different look to the growth.  
I found another photo on Henriettes Herbal that shows a closeup of Hypericum cuneatum:
http://www.henriettesherbal.com/pictures/p07/pages/hypericum-cuneatum-1.htm

Is it possible to find out the provenance of the Wisley plant?  The reason it is important in this case, to give clues to unearth the taxonomic trail of this plant.

After researching the various "authoritative" sites (IPNI, The Plant List, Tropicos), it is more confusing than ever. Here's what I found:

IPNI
H. cuneatum Poir. Encycl. (Lamarck) Suppl. 3.  699. 1814 [3 Sep 1814] Notes: As. Min.; Syria
H. pallens D.Don  Prodr. Fl. Nepal.  219. 1825 [26 Jan-1 Feb 1825]
H. pallens [Soland.] in Russell, Aleppo, ed. II. Ii. 270. [date?] Notes: As. Min
H. elodeoides Choisy  Prodr. (DC.)  1: 551. 1824 [mid Jan 1824] Notes: Reg. Himal.; Burma
   - synonyms of H. elodeoides in Annot. Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal
      H. napaulense Choisy
      H. nervosum D. Don
      H. pallens D. Don

Van Florası Sanal Herbaryumu (http://www.vanherbaryum.yyu.edu.tr/flora/famgenustur/hypericum.htm) lists:
H. pallens BANKS ET SOL.  (I assume this is the same as H. pallens [Soland.] from IPNI above)

The Plant List (http://www.theplantlist.org/browse/A/Hypericaceae/Hypericum/)
does list:     H. elodeoides Choisy
NOT listed:  H. pallens D.Don
                 H. pallens [Soland.]
                 H. cuneatum

Tropicos (http://www.tropicos.org/NameSearch.aspx?name=Hypericum&commonname=)
does list:     H. elodeoides Choisy
                 H. pallens D. Don
NOT listed:  H. cuneatum
                 H. pallens [Soland.]

Confused yet?  I am.  I haven't found a date on the H. pallens [Soland.] citation, which might be a valid name for a species in Turkey (Asia Minor, per publication info), whereas the H. pallens D. Don seems conclusively a synonym of H. elodeoides, a Chinese species which is not a match for this plant.

I found a site or two that cites H. cuneatum as a synonym of H. pallens (assuming the Turkish plant)
http://www.kartepepeyzaj.com/bitki_katalogu-5.php

And from a Checklist of Lebanon Plants, H. cuneatum Poir. is listed, but no H. pallens, though they list H. pallidum Post, which I've not found elsewhere!?
http://www.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/lebsyria/Checklist%20of%20Lebanon%20Plants.pdf

From the Kadel.cz site, a photo and description is included:
Hypericum pallens Banks & Sol.
Synonym   H. cuneatum Poir.
Territory    WESTERN ASIA: Syria, Turkey
http://www.kadel.cz/flora/f/kvCard.asp-Id=8070.htm