ST. JOHX'S-WOET FAMILY. 



55 



perennial. herbaceous but finally bard , 1 - 2 feet higb, often several from 



the same root, corymbosely branched. Leaves half an inch to an inch and a half long. 

 Petals yellow or orange-colored. 



Fields and pasture^s : introduced. Xatire of Europe. Fl. June -September. Fr. 

 July - October. 



Obs. This is a worthless aad rather troublesome weed on our farms ; 

 and ought to be diligently excluded. Some 40 or 50 years ago, it was 

 very common for cattle — especially white cows, and horses with white 

 feet and noses — to be afiected with*^ cutaneous ulcers during the pasture 

 season ; and those sores were universally and confidently attributed to 

 the St. John's-wort. In those days, I never doubted the fact, myself : 

 but I must in candor add, that, although the plant continues to be 



abundant in our pastures, I have not noticed any such sores for a num- 

 ber of years past. Was the affection ascribed to a wrong source ? and 

 has the real cause ceased to exist ? The Jlowers and leaves are evidently 

 somewhat resinous ; and a tincture of them has held a place among 

 popular remedies for disorders of the stomach and bowels. It is 

 worthy of remark, that in the year 1842, the St. John's-wort totally 

 failed to make its appearance (in Chester County — and I believe 

 throughout Pennsylvania.) even in fields where it had previously 

 abounded. The succeeding year it was quite rare ; but it has since 

 become as common as ever, in neglected fields. The cause of that total 

 though temporary, disappearance of a perennial-rooted plant, is as ob- 

 scure as tho fact is curious. 



Fig. 30. St. John"s-wort (Hypericum perforatum) , summit of a flowering branch. 31. 

 An enlarged flower showing the clustered stamens. 32. A magnified pod. 33. The 

 same divided crosswise. 



