134 THE HTPEEIOTJM PAMILT. 



Capsule globular, slightly succulent before it is ripe, not usually opening 

 in valres. 



In shrubby places and open woods, in western and southern Europe, 

 extending also far into central Asia. In Britain, all along the west side of 

 Great Britain, in Ireland, and southern England, but rare on the eastern 

 side. Fl. summer. 



3. Common Hypericum. Hypericum perforatum, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 295. St. John's-ioort.) 



Stock perennial, with short runners or decumbent bawen shoots and 

 erect stems, 1 to It feet high, branching m the upper part, cylindrical or 

 with two slightly prominent opposite angles, and quite glabrous. Leaves 

 sessile, oblong, seldom above 6 lines long, marked with pellucid dots, and 

 occasionally a few black ones on the under side. Flowers bright yellow, 

 in a handsome terminal corymb. Sepals lanceolate, pointed, quite en- 

 tire, but with a few glandular lines or dots. Petals twice as long, marked, 

 as well as the anthers, with black dots. Stamens numerous, shortly united 

 into 3 bundles. Styles 3. 



In woods, hedges and thickets, roadsides, etc., throughout Europe and 

 central and Russian Asia, except the extreme north, and now introduced 

 into other coimtries. Abundant in Britain. Fl. summer and autumn. 



4. Imperforate Hypericum. Hypericum dubium. Leers. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 296.) 



Very much like the common H., but the stem is shghtly quadi-angular, 

 the leaves rather larger and broader, and nearly destitute of peUueid dots, 

 but with a few black ones along the margin on the under side ; the sepals 

 mucli broader, obtuse or scarcely pointed, and the petals and stamens much 

 less dotted. 



In similar situations as the common H., almost over all Europe, espe- 

 cially in hUly districts, extending far iuto Scandinavia, but not an Arctic 

 plant. Generally spread over England, southern Scotland aud Ireland, but 

 not near so frequent as the common H. Fl. summer. 



5. Square-stalked Hypericum. Hypericum quadrangulum, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 370.) 



With the general habit of the two last species, this one is readily known 

 by the four very prominent angles of the stem, and the rather smaller and 

 paler flowers. Leaves ovate, often an inch long, clasping tiie stem at the 

 ' base, with numerous pellucid dots, and a few black ones round the margin 

 on the under side. Sepals lanceolate and pointed. Petals and anthers 

 with very few black dots, or entirely without them. 



In moist pastures, by hedges and ditches, in central and southern Eu- 

 rope to the Caucasus, extending northward to southern Sweden. Common 

 in England, Ireland, and southern Scotland, but decreasing in frequency 

 towards the north. Fl. summer. 



6. Trailing Hypericum. Hypericum humifusum, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1226.) 

 A low, decumbent, much branched, almost trailing plant, from 2 or 3 to 

 near 6 inches long, sometimes forming dense, spreading tufts, with a peren- 

 nial rootstock, but often flowering the first year, so as to appear annual. 



