ST. JOHN'S WORT TRIBfi, 53 



numerous ; filaments united into 3 or 5 sets ; styles 3 or rarely 5 ; 

 capsule 3 or 5-celled. (Name from the Greek, hypericon, the name 

 of the plant.) 



1. Hypericum (St. John's Wort) 



1. H. calycinum (Large-flowered St. John's Wort). A low shrub 

 about a foot high, with oblong, blunt leaves, and handsome yellow 

 flowers 3-4 inches across ; stamens in 5 sets and very numerous ; 

 stems usually not branched, but sometimes once branched low 

 down. Common in gardens and shrubberies, and naturalized in 

 several places. Fl. July to September. Perennial. 



2. H. androscemum (Common Tutsan). Stem shrubby, two- 

 edged ; leaves egg-shaped, sessile ; sepals broad, unequal ; styles 3 ; 

 capsule berry-like. A handsome shrubby plant, 2-3 feet high, 

 conspicuous with clusters of largish yellow flowers, and afterwards 

 with glossy, berry-like capsules. The leaves have a strong resinous 

 smell, which they retain for some time after drying. Woods and 

 hedges in the south and west of Great Britain, but not very common. 

 Fl. July. Perennial. 



3. H. perforatum (Perforated St. John's Wort). Stem herba- 

 ceous, erect, 2-edged, about 18 inches high ; leaves elliptic-oblong, 

 copiously perforated with pellucid dots ; sepals erect, lanceolate, 

 acute, with glandular dots ; petals marked with black dots ; styles 

 3. The yellow flowers in a terminal corymb. Woods and hedges, 

 common. Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



4. H. dubium (Imperforate St. John's Wort). Stem herbaceous, 

 erect, 4-sided, with rounded angles ; leaves destitute of dots ; sepals 

 reflexed, elliptical, blunt. Mountainous places ; very like the last, 

 but not so common, and well distinguished by the above charac- 

 ters. Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



5. H. quadrangulum (Square-stalked St. John's Wort). Best 

 distinguished from the last two, which it much resembles, by the 

 prominently 4-angled stems. Leaves oblong, egg-shaped, with 

 pellucid dots ; sepals erect, lanceolate ; stem 1-2 feet high, erect, 

 herbaceous, with fiat panicles of pale yellow flowers. Wet places, 

 common. Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



6. H. humifusum (Trailing St. John's Wort). Stems prostrate ; 

 leaves oblong, obtuse, perforated with pellucid dots ; flowers some- 

 what cymose, small, pale yellow ; stamens not numerous ; petals 

 and sepals with a few black dots ; stems 3-9 inches long. Walls 

 and gravelly banks, common. Fl. July, August. Perennial. 



7. H. linarifolium (Flax-leaved St. John's Wort). A rare species, 

 with slender erect stems 9 or 10 inches high ; very narrow leaves, 

 marked with a few black dots beneath ; and corymbs of bright 

 yellow flowers larger than in H. humifusum ; stamens about 30. 



