POLYADELPHI A-POLYANDRI A. Hypericum. 325 



and streaked with dark purple, but not so much as in the next. 

 Anth. each tipped with a dark purple gland. Styles short, erect. 

 Caps. oval. 



The whole plant, when bruised, has a light aromatic lemon-like 

 odour. 



Petiver's figure is copied from the wooden cuts which really re- 

 present H. hirsutum, though generally quoted for this. 



4. '^.perforatum. Common Perforated St. John's- 

 vvort. 



Styles three. Stem two-edged. Leaves obtuse, with co- 

 pious pellucid dots. Segments of the calyx lanceolate. 



H. perforatum. Linw. Sp. PZ. 1 1 05 . fFi/W.?j. 3. 1460. f7. Br.SOl. 



EwgZ. Boi.u. 5.<. 295. Curt.Lo7id.fasc.\.t.57. Ifoodv.i. 10. 



Hook. Scot. 221 . DeCand. Prodr. v. 1 . 549. Fl. Dan. 1. 1043. 

 H. n. 1037. Hall. Hist. V. 2. A. 

 Hypericum. Rail Syn. 342. Ger.Em.539.f. Lob. Ic. 398. f. 



Fuchs. Hist. 831. /. Matth. Valgr. v. 2. 286./. Corner. Epit. 



675. f. Dod.Pempt.76.f. Dalech.Hist. I] 53. f. LonicKreu- 

 • terb. 158./.]. 

 H. vulgare. Bauh. Pin. 279. Moris, v. 2. 469. sect. 5. t. 6./. 1 . 



Trag.Hist. 73. f. 

 Herba perforata. Trag. Hist. 72. f. 

 Common St. John's-wort. Petiv. H. Brit. t. 60./. 5. 



In groves, thickets, and hedges, abundantly. 



Perennial. July, August. 



Root woody, tufted, somewhat creeping. Stem taller than the last, 

 and much more bushy, in consequence of tlie much greater 

 length of its axillary leafy branches ; its form round, with only 

 2 opposite ribs or angles, not so acute as those of H. quadran- 

 gulum. The whole herb is moreover of a darker green, with a 

 more powerful scent when rubbed, staining the fingers with 

 dark purple, from the greater abundance of coloured essential 

 oil, lodged in the herbage and even in the petals. Leaves very 

 numerous, smaller than the last, elliptical or ovate, obtuse, va- 

 rious in width. Fl. bright yellow, dotted and streaked with 

 black, or dark purple, numerous, in dense, forked, terminal pa. 

 nicies. Cal. narrow. Styles short, erect. Caps, large, ovate. 



As this plant was found to bleed at the slightest touch, it was sup- 

 posed to have a vulnerary quality, and became the "balm of the 

 warriors wound," giving a blood-red colour to every composi- 

 tion, whether of a spiritous or oily nature, into which it entered. 

 The essential oil, the seat of this colour, is aromatic, and pos- 

 sibly tonic or stimulating, without much acrimony. 



