312 HYPERICINEtE. [p^rt ii. 



ORDER XXXVIII.— HYPERICINE^.— THE 

 HYPERICUM TRIBE. 



The genus Hypericum, or St. John''s Wort, 

 agrees with the orange in having its leaves full 

 of transparent cells ; but these cells are filled 

 with a yellow, resinous juice, resembling gam- 

 boge in its medicinal properties, and having a 

 very disagreeable smell. There are five petals 

 in the corolla ; and the calyx consists of five 

 sepals, which are unequal in size and shape, and 

 joined together for only a short distance. Like 

 the orange the filaments grow together at the 

 base, in separate clusters or bundles ; but in the 

 Hypericum these clusters are so perfectly dis- 

 tinct, that the stamens may be readily separated 

 into three or five bundles (according to the 

 species), by slightly pulling them. The capsule 

 is dry, and of a membrane-like texture, and it 

 consists of three or five carpels, containing many 

 seeds, and each having a separate style, and a 

 pointed stigma. The flowers are very showy, 

 from their large golden yellow petals and nume- 

 rous stamens. The genus Androssemum, the 

 Tutsan, or Park-leaves, has been separated from 

 Hypericum on account of its fruit being one- 

 celled and one-seeded, with a fleshy covering, 

 which yields a red juice when pressed. H. 

 calycinum^ with large yellow flowers and five 



