St. -John ' s-wort ( Hypericacece) 45 



Branches, two-edged, erect. 



Fruit, splitting into two to four pieces. 



Found, in pine barrens from Long Island to Pennsylvania 

 and southward. 



A small, stout shrub, with stem erect and straight, one 

 to two feet high, and branching above. 



Saint Andrew's Cross. A. Crux- Andrea, L. 

 Flowers, one to three in a leafy cluster at the ends of the 

 branches. Petals, oblong. Outer sepals, oval and 

 twice as long as the flower-stem, the inner ones 

 minute. Styles, two. Seed-case, with one cell. 



Leaves, one half to one inch long, stemless, thin, narrowly 

 reverse egg-shape, narrowed to the base. Branches 

 two-edged toward their ends, drooping. 



Fruit, splitting into two to four pieces. 



Found, in Nantucket, and from the pine barrens of New 

 Jersey westward and southward. 



A drooping shrub, one to two feet high, with many 

 branches. 



(2) Genus HYPERICUM, Tourn. (St.-John's-wort.) 



In the old mythology the St.-John's-wort was dedicated 

 to Baldur, the Sun God, on account of its golden flowers. 

 When the old religion gave way to Christianity, Baldur's 

 Day became St.-John's-day, and Baldur's flower St. John's 

 flower. 



The genus was once in high repute for its supposed 

 ability to guard against evil spirits, and for other magical 

 powers. On this account the various species were often 

 planted around dwellings. In Scotland the plant is said 

 still to be carried as a charm ; and in France and Germany, 



