36 HYPERICINEiE. 



HYPERICINE/E. 



A small family of 8 genera and some 200 species, of 

 which l6o belong to the genus HYPERICUM distributed 

 in temperate climates of the northern hemisphere. 



HYPERICUM. F.B.I. 22 II. 



St. John's Wort. 



This is perhaps the easiest of all genera to recognise 

 for the bright yellow flowers have numerous stiff straight 

 stamens in bunches alternating with the petals, and the 

 leaves contain oilglands which against the light show as 

 translucent dots or streaks. 



The only plants which have similar oilglands have either alternate 

 leaves (rutace.^ and myrsine/e) or inferior ovaries (myrtace^). 



Plants mostly small, either herbs or shrubs, never 

 trees ; leaves opposite, sessile, entire. Flowers typically 

 in cymes of three (the middle one opening first and 

 terminating the axis) ; but also solitary or panicled. 

 Quite regular. Sepals five. Petals five, yellow, overlap- 

 ping each other in bud and twisted. Stamens numerous, 

 united into one, three, or five, groups, alternating with 

 glands. Ovary a superior with a corresponding number 

 of cells and of styles. Fruit a capsule which splits 

 open into its constituent cells (not down the back of 

 each one as with so many capsules), leaving the 

 placentas attached to the central axis or the edges of 

 the valves. 



Species i6o, in temperate climates. England has about lo. 

 St. John's Wort, or Tutsan ; Ger. Johanniskraut. 



Named Jro7n the Latin form of an old Greek one, of Dioscorides^ of 

 UfikjtowH derivation. Szcggesiions are (i) huper tinder, and eikon 

 image, because the stamens stand like a figure, in the centre of the 

 flower; (ii) huper w«^^r and erike heath. *' St. /ohn's Wort" perhaps 

 because of the stamens spreading like the golden rays painted behind a 

 Sainfs head in old pictures. 



