HYPERICUM-ST, JOHN'S WORT, 



CLASS, POLYADELPHIA J ORDER, POLYANDRIA 

 NATURAL ORDER, HYPERTCACEjE. 



GEN. CHAR. Calyx five parted. Petals five. Filaments many, 

 connected very often at the base in bundles or groups of five 

 SPEC. CHAR. One style to the flowers, Stamina longer than 

 the petals. Colored calyx. Stalk shrubby. 



This is the type of a small natural family, the plants of which 

 yield an acid resinous juice, and a bitter extractive matter with 

 balsamic properties. We have many native species in the United 

 States. Modern bigotry gave this the name of St. John's Wort, 

 from an ancient superstition called Fuga Dsemonum, as they believed 

 this plant would defend persons from phantoms and spectres, and 

 drive away devils. For the same reason others called it the Ter- 

 restrial Sun, because, say they, all the spirits of darkness vanish at 

 the approach of the Sun ; and Phillips has hence made it the emblem 

 of Superstition. It came originally from China, and was first 

 planted in England in the celebrated flower garden at Alnwick, 

 belonging to the Duke of Northumberland. 



The root is composed of many woody fibres, which strike deep 

 into the ground, and from these arise several shrubby stalks be 

 tween two and three feet in height, covered with a purplish bark, 

 and garnished with stiff smooth leaves about two inches long and a 

 quarter of an inch broad, placed by pairs, sitting close to the stalk 



