GENUS 2. 



ST. JOHN'S-WORT FAMILY 



ii. Hypericum virgatum Lam. Virgate 



or Copper-colored St. John's-wort. 



Fig. 2891. 



Hypericum virgatum Lam. Encycl. 4: 158. 1797. 

 H. angulosum Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 78. 1803. 

 Hypericum virgatum ovalifolium Britton, Trans. N. 



Y. Acad. Sci. 9: 10. 1889. 



Slender, herbaceous, erect or ascending, sim- 

 ple, or branched above, i-2^ high, the stem 

 and branches 4-angled. Leaves ascending or 

 erect, oblong-lanceolate to elliptic, acute or ob- 

 tuse, 15" long or less, 2"-j" wide, sessile ; cyme 

 terminal, ample, compound, bracted; pedicels 

 i"-2" long ; flowers numerous, copper-yellow, 

 alternate, 4"-6" broad; sepals foliaceous, ovate 

 or lanceolate, keeled, more or less shorter than 

 the petals ; styles 3, distinct ; stigmas capitate ; 

 capsule i-celled, 2" long, enclosed by the sepals. 



In low grounds, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to 

 Illinois, south to Florida and Tennessee. July-Sept. 



12. Hypericum perforatum L. Common 

 St. John's-wort. Fig. 2892. 



Hypericum perforatum L. Sp. PI. 785. 1753. 



Perennial, herbaceous from a woody base, 

 i-2 high, much branched. Stems erect, with 

 numerous barren shoots at base ; leaves sessile, 

 oblong or linear, s"-io" long, i"-4" wide, ob- 

 tuse, more or less black-dotted; cymes terminal, 

 several-many-flowered ; flowers bright yellow, 

 8"-i2" broad ; sepals lanceolate, acute, shorter 

 than the copiously black-dotted petals ; stamens 

 united at their bases into 3 sets ; styles 3 ; cap- 

 sule ovoid, 2"~3" long, 3-celled, glandular. 



In fields and waste places, common throughout 

 our area except the extreme north, and in the 

 Southern States. Naturalized from Europe. Often 

 a troublesome weed. Native also of northern Asia. 

 June-Sept. English names, amber, penny-John, 

 rosin-rose, herb-john. Johnswort. Cammock. Touch- 

 and-heal. Crushed herbage odorous. 



13. Hypericum punctatum Lam. 



Spotted or Corymbed St. John's- 

 wort. Fig. 2893. 

 H. maculatum Walt. Fl. Car. 189. 1788. No 



Crantz. 



H. punctatum Lam. Encycl. 4: 164. 1797. 

 H. corymbosum Muhl. ; Willd. Sp. PI. 3: 1457. 



1803. 

 H. subpetiolatum Bicknell ; Small, Fl. SE. U. 



S. 790. 1903. 



Herbaceous, perennial from a woody 

 base, erect, ii-3 high. Leaves sessile, 

 short-petioled, or partly clasping, oblong or 

 ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, i'-3' long, 4''-8" 

 wide, copiously black-dotted ; cymes termi- 

 nal, many-flowered; pedicels about i" long; 

 flowers much crowded, 4"~7" broad ; sepals 

 ovate-oblong, acute, about half as long as 

 the conspicuously black-dotted petals; sta- 

 mens numerous, united in 3 or 5 sets; 

 styles 3, variable in length ; capsule ovoid, 

 2" -3" long, completely 3-celled. 



In moist soil, Quebec and Ontario to Minne- 

 sota, Florida and Kansas. June-Sept. 



