HYPERICACE.E ST. JOHN'S-WORT 



FAMILY 



SHRUBBY ST. JOHN'S-WORT 



Hypericum prolificum. 



Hypericum is an ancient Greek name of obscure meaning. 

 The name St. John's-wort was given to the family because 

 one member of it, Hypericum perforation, was believed in 

 olden times to have the power of keeping off evil spirits, 

 who were supposed to be particularly busy on St. John's 

 night. 



Low, one to three feet high, diffusely branched near the base ; 

 branchlets slender, two-edged ; stems stout, covered with light 

 reddish brown bark ; found in rocky or sandy soil. Ranges from 

 New Jersey to Georgia and west to Michigan and Minnesota. 

 Variable. 



Leaves. Opposite, simple, punctuate with small translucent 

 dots, one to three inches long, narrowly oblong, sessile or nar- 

 rowed at base into a short petiole, entire, mostly obtuse at 

 apex, often mucronate ; midvein prominent, secondary veins ob- 

 scure. Tufts of small leaves frequently occur in the axils of 

 larger ones. Autumnal tint is greenish yellow. 



Flowers. July, September. Perfect, bright yellow, three- 

 fourths to an inch and a half across, conspicuous for many sta- 

 mens, borne in compound few-flowered cymes which are terminal 

 or axillary ; bracts leafy. Pedicels three-fourths to an inch long. 



Calyx. Sepals five, leaf-like, shorter than the petals, persist- 

 ent, imbricate in bud. 



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