74 ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 
Spec. Char., §c. Flowers almost sessile. Leaves obovate- 
lanceolate, pubescent beneath, somewhat serrated, 
membranaceous. Petals and sepals rather silky on the 
outside. (Don’s Mill.) A deciduous tree in America, 
in Britain a shrub. Georgia and Florida. Height in 
America 30 ft. to 50 ft.; in England 4 ft. to 6 ft. In- 
troduced in 1774. Flowers large, white, fragrant, 3 in. 
across, with yellow filaments ; May to August. Capsule “dé 
globose, brownish ; ripe in October. 
Somewhat hardier than the preceding species, but 
requiring the same general treatment. 
111. Gorddnia pubéscens. 
Orver XIJ. HYPERICA‘CEA. 
Orb. CHAR. Sepals 4 or 5, unequal, with an imbricate estivation. Stamens, in 
nearly all, numerous, and in 3 or more parcels. Fruit, a capsule or berry of 
many valves and many cells ; the edges of the valves curved inwards. Seeds 
attached to a placenta in the axis, or on the inner edge of the dissepiments. 
Leaves simple, opposite, exstipulate, deciduous or evergreen ; entire, co- 
piously dotted with immersed, pellucid, resinous glands. Flowers terminal 
or axillary, generally yellow. Sap yellow, resinous.— Shrubs, natives of 
Europe, North America, and Asia. The genera in British gardens are two, 
which are thus contradistinguished : — 
Hypr’ricum LZ. Capsule membranous. Stamens polyadelphous. 
AnpRosa@‘mum Chois. Capsule baccate. Stamens monadelphous. 
Genus I. 
fall 
HYPE/RICUM ZL. Tue Sr. Joun’s Wort. Lin. Syst. Polyadélph. Polyand. 
Identification. Lin. Gen., 392. ; Juss., 255. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 543.; Don’s Mill., 1.p. 601. 
Sy iy Fuga D. 3 Mille Pertuis, Fr. ; Johanniskraut, Ger.; Iperico, Ital. 
Derivations. The name of Hypéricum is as old as the time of Dioscorides ; but its origin and mean- 
ing are uncertain. Some derive it from the Greek words huper, under, and eikdn, an image ; and 
suppose it to signify that the upper part of the flower represents a figure. Others state that huper 
signifies through, and that the name alludes to the pellucid dots in the leaves, which form small 
lenses, through which, when held up to the light, images might be seen. The French name of the 
plant, Mille Pertuis, a thousand pores, is evidently derived from the same source. The English 
name, St. John's Wort, and the German one, Johanniskraut, are taken from the country people 
formerly, both in England and Germany, being in the habit of gathering this plant on St. John’s 
day, to use it to protect themselves from evil spirits. This plant, with some others, was employed 
to make what was called John’s fire, which was supposed to be a security, tor those who kindled it, 
against witchcraft and all attacks of demons. For this reason, also, the Hypéricum received the 
name of Fuga Demonum. 
Gen. Char. Capsules membranous. Stamens numerous, free or joined at 
the bases into 3 or 5 bundles. Petals 5. Sepals 5, more or less connected 
at the base, unequal, rarely equal. Styles 3 to 5, rarely connate in one, 
permanent. Capsule 1- or many-celled, many-seeded, 3—5-valved. Integu- 
ment of seed double. Embryo with the radicle situated at the umbilicus, 
and with semicylindrical cotyledons. (Don’s Mill.) 
Leaves simple, opposite, exstipulate, sub-evergreen or deciduous; ovate- 
oblong or lanceolate, sessile or subsessile, usually full of pellucid dots on 
their disks, and some dark ones on their edges, lodging an essential oil. 
Flowers terminal, racemose, yellow. — Low sub-evergreen shrubs; natives 
of Europe, North America, and Asia; of easy culture in common soil; 
and propagated by division, suckers, cuttings, or seeds. 
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