| Hypéricum 
ST. JOHN’S-WORT FAMILY. Hypericaceae. 
Not a large family, mostly natives of temperate and 
warm regions. Ours are herbs, sometimes shrubby, with- 
out stipules, with opposite, toothless leaves, with clear or 
black dots; the flowers regular and complete, all the parts 
borne on the receptacle; the sepals and petals usually five; 
the stamens usually numerous, sometimes grouped in three 
to five clusters; the ovary superior; the fruit a capsule. 
There are many kinds of Hypericum, widely distributed; 
the leaves without leaf-stalks, the flowers yellow, with three 
to six styles. This is the ancient Greek name. These 
plants bloom in June, about St. John’s Day, and so tradi- 
tion gives them magic properties, appropriate to the Eve 
- of that day, when fairies and witches are abroad, and they 
are commonly called St. John’s-wort. 
This has very pretty flowers and grows 
St. John’s-wort ; i i 
John’s-wor from three to eighteen inches tall, with 
concinnum smooth stems, branching and woody at 
Yellow base, and smooth, rather bluish-green 
Summer ‘ 
Califorms leaves, usually folded, not clasping at base, 
usually with only a few dots. The flowers 
are an inch or more across, with bright golden petals, with 
some black dots, and numerous stamens in three bunches, 
forming large, fuzzy, golden centers. This grows on dry 
hills and is supposed to be poisonous to sheep. 
A pretty plant, from six inches to three 
feet tall, with a stiff stem, often branching 
towards the top, and rather dull green 
St. John’s-wort 
Hypéricum for- 
mOosum var. 
Scoileri | leaves, blunt, oblong and clasping at base, 
Yellow about an inch long, thin in texture, with 
cae a black dots on the margins. The flowers 
s 
are from half an inch to an inch across, 
with bright yellow petals, dotted with black, and are very 
pretty, but not so handsomeas the last. Thisgrowsin moist 
places, chiefly in the mountains, and is common in Yosemite. 
Greepine St: An attractive little plant, only a few 
John’s-wort inches tall, with many weak, slender, 
Hy péricum branching stems, spreading on the ground 
papel mega and rooting at the joints, and small, 
Orange ‘ : 
Sumiee smooth, light yellowish-green leaves, often 
Northwest tinged with red. It grows in wet places 
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