174 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
This fingle inllance may ferve as a proof that the ftyles are not at all fit to be received into the 
number of part, from which a claffical divifion, or even a gencrical charafter, can be eftaljliflicd: 
if we Ihoiild allow thenn but this laft and Icall ufe, we muff heie of ncceffity feparatc, iirvder dificrcnt 
names, and in diftindt genera, plants moO: evidently related to one another, as fpecics of the fame 
genus. 
Some have obferved thefe, or other, as light and uncertain difiindions, fo far as to feparate 
• the SaitU Johti's worts (m this manner: hence have arifen the diftindl generical names in Latin of 
hypcricum^ afcyymn^ androfamum, and fome others i and in Engiini, thofe oi tu'fan. Saint Perer^s wa ty 
and Saint John's wort ; all frivolous and idle diftinftions, and all tending to create confufion in the 
Iciencci becaufe the plants are all truly and properly allied. 
l.innjeus, who is in general fond enough of elUblilhing new genera, !ias jud^^cd very rightly in 
this refped: he has named all thefe iubordinate and accidental variations in the fiy'es of the various 
kinds of Saint John's wort as variations only ; and has boldly and juftly kept all of them under 
one name, and in one genus. At the fame time, he has feparared, under the name of afr'rum, 
and referred to a diftinft genus, fome plants, which, though they have the general afpeft of Saint 
John's won, have only four petals in the flower. 
While we give this author the deferved praifc, for his arrangement of the Saint John's worts, wc 
cannot but cenfurc the place he has affigned them in his work : he has feparatt-d them from tl e cillus, 
and other plants before defcnbed, by five intermediate clalTes ; and, becaufe of th;s u,_^;^;..r 'jf the 
ffamina, or threads, joining in fcveral little clufters, has placed them in the artificial clafs wc have 
named. This may well be called an artificial clafs, becaufe nothing in nature countenances it ; and 
it is moll evident, by the divifion of thefe plants from the others, that it violates her mofb obvious 
laws. They agree with the others in the having a flower compofed of five |-er:ils, I'p.d their feeds 
contained in a fingle capfule : thefe are obvious reafons for joining them ; and this ;\}ni.:ular diftnbu- 
tion of the ftamina is but a very poor one for feparating them, and fending the Ihident to look for 
.plants which nature direfts him to underfliand as allied to one another, in the different parts of 
a work. 
DIVISION I. BRITISH SPECIES. 
I. Common Saint John's wort. 
Hypericum vttlgare. 
The root is long, flender, woody, divided, 
and fpreading. 
The ftalk is firm, upright, of a pale green 
colour, edged, and a foot and half high : it is 
fimple toward the bottom, but divides into many 
branches near the top. 
The leaves are oblong, broad, and of a dec|) 
green : they (land in pairs at fmall diftances, and 
are undivided on the edges : when held up againfl: 
the light they appear full of little holes. 
The flowers are large, futi of threads, and of 
a beautiful gold yellow. 
The feed-vefiei is roundidi, and contains nu- 
merous fmall feeds. 
The ftyles from the rudiment of the capfule 
are three in this plant ; and the capfule is divided 
into three cells. 
The yellow threads in this flower, when 
moiftened and briiifed upon the hand, ftain it 
red. 
It is common by way-fides, and flowers in 
June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Hypcricumvulgare; and mofl 
others have followed him. 
The common Saint John's wort is celebrated for 
many virtues, and is not negleded in regular 
praftice. A decodlion of it is good to waflr 
ulcers*, and an oil, made by infufing the flowers 
in olive oil, is much recommended againfl: pain, 
and as a balfam : the flowers give their latent red 
colour very beautifully to the oil in this prepa. 
ration. 
An infufion of the frcfli tops of Saint John's 
won is good in the jaundice : it operates by urine. 
The exprcflt-d juice of the frefii tops is good 
againfl: fpitting of blood. 
The powder of the tops carefully dried is re- 
commended alfo againfl: worms, and in the gout, 
and againfl: tertian and quartan agues. 
A tincture of the flowers, made flrong in 
white-wine, is icconimendcd greatly by fome 
againfl: melancholy : but of thefe qualities we 
fpcak with Icfs certainty, though they defcr\'e a 
fair trial. 
2. Small heart-leaved Saint John's wort. 
Hypericum folium cordatis. 
The root is flender, brown, and furnifhed 
with a few fibres. 
The flalk is round, fmooth, upright, and 
frequently redifli ; it has fcarce any branches, and 
is a foot or more in height. 
The leaves ftand in pairs, but with great fpaces 
between one pair and another: they are fmall, 
broad, fliort, and have no footfl:alks, but fur- 
round the n:alk at the bafe: they are of a heart- 
falhioned fhape, but not much dented at the 
broad part ; and are of a deep green, and firm 
fubflance. 
The flowers are large, and of a bright yellow. 
The feed-vefl'els are large, and the feeds are 
brownifli. 
The ftyles in the flowers of this fpccies arc 
only three ; and the fecd-vcird is, in the fame 
manner, divided into three cells. 
It is com.mon in dry padures and by way-fides ; 
and flowers in July. 
It is a very pretty plant. Tragus h.ls called 
it thence Hypericum fulchrum; and mofl: have 
copied him. J, Bauhine calls it Hypericum minus 
ere^um. 
2. Small 
