ST. JOHN'S-WORT FAMILY. 



55 



Root perennial. Stein herbaceous but finally hard, 1-2 feet high, often several from 

 the same root, corymbosely branched. Leaves half an inch to an inch and a half long. 

 Petals yellow or orange-colored. 



Fields and pastures: introduced. Native of Europe. Fl. June -September. Fr. 

 July - October. 



Obs. This is a worthless and rather troublesome weed on our farms ; 

 and ought to be diligently excluded. Some 40 or 50 years ago, it was 

 very common for cattle especially white cows, and horses with white 

 feet and noses to be affected with cutaneous ulcers during the pasture 

 season ; and those sores were universally and confidently attributed to 

 the St. Johris-wort. In those days, I never doubted the fact, myself : 

 but I must in candor add, that, although the plant continues to be 



31 



abundant in our pastures, I have not noticed any such sores for a num- 

 ber of years past. Was the affection ascribed to a wrong source ? and 

 has the real cause ceased to exist ? The flowers and leaves are evidently 

 somewhat resinous ; and a tincture of them has held a place among 

 popular remedies for disorders of the stomach and bowels. It is 

 worthy of remark, that in the year 1842, the St. John's-wort totally 

 failed to make its appearance (in Chester County and I believe 

 throughout Pennsylvania,) even in fields where it had previously 

 abounded. The succeeding year it was quite rare ;' but it has since 

 become as common as ever, ip neglected fields. The cause of that total 

 though temporary, disappearance of a perennial-rooted plant, is as ob- 

 scure as tin fact 'is carious. 



FIG. 30. St. John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum), summit of a flowering branch. 31. 

 An enlarged flower showing 'the clustered stamens. 32. A magnified pod. 33. The 

 same divided crosswise. 



