CHAP. XXI. HYPERICA CEE. HYPERICUM. 397 
or more parcels. Fruit,a capsule or berry of many valves and many cells; the 
edges of the valves curved inwards. Seeds attached to a placenta in the axis, 
or on the inner edge of the dissepiments. Leaves dotted; in most, opposite 
and entire. Flowers, in most, yellow. Sap yellow, resinous. (Lindley, Introd. 
to N.S. 
as §c. The hardy ligneous plants belonging to this order are all 
shrubs or undershrubs sub-evergreen or deciduous; with dotted leaves, 
smooth, oblong, or lanceolate; and yellow flowers. They are natives of Eu» 
rope, North America, or Asia. Some few of Africa, but more of Australia. 
Medicinally, they are bitter and slightly astringent: the soft parts of many 
species contain a fragrant oil, and others secrete a yellow juice: from a 
Mexican species the gum Squitum Gulla of commerce is produced. In gar- 
dening, these shrubs must be considered more as flowering shrubs for dry bor- 
ders, than as woody plants of permanent duration in the arboretum or 
shrubbery. There are, however, one or two exceptions. All the species 
throw up abundance of side suckers, and are readily propagated by division of 
the plant, or by cuttings; and some of them ripen seeds. They will grow in 
any soil, not too stiff, or too much charged with moisture. 
Hyprr’ricum L. Capsule membranous. Stamens numerous, disposed in 
3 to 5 bundles at the base. 
AnvROs&‘muM Chois. Capsule baccate, l-celled. Calyx 5-parted. Stamens 
numerous, monadelphous at the base. 
Genus I. 
HYPE’RICUM LZ. Tue St. Joun’s Wort. Lin. Syst. Polyadélphia Poly- 
andria. 
Identification. Lin, Gen., 392.; Juss., 255.; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 543.; Don’s Mill., 1. p. 601. 
Synonymes. Fuga Demonum; Mille Pertuis, /y.; Johannis Kraut, Ger. 
Derivations. The name of Hypéricum is as old as the time of Dioscorides ; but its origin and mean- 
ing are uncertain. Some derive it from the Greek words haper, under, and eikdn, an image; and 
suppose it to signify that the upper part of the flower represents a figure. Others state that huper 
signifies phe » and that the name alludes to the pellucid dots in the leaves, which form small 
lenses, through which, when held up to the light, images might be seen. Donnegan, in his 
' Lexicon, conjectures the word Hypéricum to be taken from Auper, for, in the place of, &c., and 
ereike, heath ; from the plant bearing some resemblance to the heath. By others, the word is sup- 
posed to be composed from huper, through, on the other side, and e7ko, to resemble; from the 
pellucid dots resembling holes or pores ; and the French name of the plant, Mille Pertuis, a thou- 
sand pores, is evidently derived from the same source. The English name, St. John's Wort, and 
the German one, Johannis Kraut, are taken from the country people formerly, both in England 
and Germany, being in the habit of gathering this plant on St. John’s day, to use it to protect them- 
selves from evil spirits. This plant, with some others, was employed to make what was called 
John’s fire, which was supposed to be a security, for those who kindled it, against witchcraft and all 
attacks of demons, For this reason, also, the Hypéricum received the name of Fuga Demonum. 
Gen. Char. Sc. Capsules membranous. Stamens numerous, free or joined 
at the bases into 3 or 5 bundles. Petals 5. Sepals 5, more or less connected 
at the base, unequal, rarely equal. Styles 3 to 5, rarely connate in one, 
manent. Capsule 1- or many-celled, many-seeded, 3—5-valved. Integu- 
ment of seed double. Albumen none. Embryo with the radicle situated 
at the umbilicus, and with semicylindrical cotyledons. (Don’s Mill. i. 
p. 601.)—Low sub-evergreen shrubs; with yellow flowers, and oppositely 
placed sessile or subsessile leaves, usually full of pellucid dots on their 
disks, and some dark ones on their edges, lodging an essential oil. They 
are chiefly natives of Europe, and vary in height from 1 ft. to 5ft. They 
are all considered medicinal, being powerfully astringent, and were formerly 
in great request by herbalists and other empirical practitioners. Gerard 
gives a receipt for making a balsam of them in his Herbal; which, he says, 
is “ a most pretious remedie for deep wounds, and those that are thorow 
the body ; for the sinues that are prickt, or any wound made with a venomed 
weapon.” (Johnson’s Gerard, p. 541.) 
