ORD. XXXV. Ascyroidee.. 5&7 
HYPFERICU JM PERFORATUM. PERFORATED St. JOHN’s 
WORT. 
SYNONYMA. . Hypericum, Pharm. Lond. Hypericum caule 
terete, alato, ramosissimo, foliis ovatis perforatis. Hal. Stirp. 
Helv. n. 1037. Hypericum vulgare sive perforata, caule rotundo, 
foliis glabris. J. Bauhin WI. 382. Hypericum vulgare, Bauh. 
Pin, 279. Raii Synop. 342. | 
Class. Polyadelphia. Ord. Polyandria. L. Gen. Plant. 902. 
Ess. Gen. Ch. Cal. 5-phyllus. Petala 5. Néect.0. Capsula. Aiton's 
Hortus Kewensis. 
Sp. Ch. H. Floribus <b caule ancipiti, fol. obtusis pellucido- 
punctatis. 
THIS species of the Hypericum generally grows to the height 
of a foot and a half; the root is perennial, ligneous, divided and © 
subdivided into many small branches, and covered with a straw- 
coloured bark; the stalks are round, smooth, of a light colour, 
and towards the top send off many opposite floriferous branches ; 
the leaves are without footstalks, and placed in pairs; they are 
entire, oval, and beset with a great number of minute transparent 
vesicles,|| which have the appearance of small perforations through 
the dise, and hence the specific name, perforatum. 
The flowers are numerous, pentapetalous, terminal, of a deep 
yellow colour, and grow in a corymbus, or in clusters, upon short 
peduncles; each petal is of an irregular oval shape and on the 
under side near the apex, is marked with many blackish dots; the 
calyx consists of five persistent acute leaves; the stamina are 
| Folia enim innumeris scatent foraminibus, iisque adeo minutis, ut visum 
effugiant nisi ipsi folia soli objecta inspiciantur, Matthiol. in Dioscord. p. 668. 
And these vesicles, or glands, have been found to contain an essential oil of a 
terebinthinate quality, Geoffroy Mal. Med. Gadd thinks that it approaches 
nearer to the gum-resin, Lac, Vet. Acad. Handl. 1762, p. 119. 
2 
: 
