142 



THE HYPERICUM FAMILY. 



2. Tutsan Hypericum. 



Hypericum Androssemum, Liun. 

 (Fig. 177.) 



land, 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1225, sepals too pointed. Tutsan.) 



Stock short, somewhat woody ; the 

 flowering-stems usually numerous, erect, 

 1| to 2 feet high, simple or slightly 

 branched. Leaves sessile, ovate, obtuse, 

 cordate at the base, 2 to 3 inches long, 

 glabrous, with very minute pellucid dots. 

 Flowers few, in small corymbs, shorter 

 than the last pair of leaves. Sepals 

 broad, 3 or 4 lines long. Petals scarcely 

 longer. Stamens numerous, slightly 

 connected at the very base into 5 clusters. 

 Styles 3. Capsule globular, slightly 

 succulent before it is ripe, not usually 

 opening in valves. 



In shrubby places and open woods, in 

 western and southern Europe, extend- 

 ing also far into central Asia. In Bri- 

 tain, all along the west side of Great 

 Britain, in Ireland, and southern Eng- 

 but rare on the eastern side. Fl. summer. 



Fig. 177. 



3. Common Hypericum. Hypericum perforatum, Linn. 



(Fig. 178.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 295. St. Johns wort.) 



Stock perennial, with short runners or decumbent barren shoots 

 and erect stems, 1 to 1^ feet high, branching in the upper part, cylin- 

 drical or with two slightly prominent opposite angles, and quite gla- 

 brous. 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 entire, 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. 



