52 
WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
free the numerous seeds. Stem i-i£ feet high, round and smooth, the upper part branched, the 
leaves small, oblong, opposite, and stalkless (sessile), dotted with transparent glands. [ Plate 27. 
Common. Waste places in woods, hedgerows, thickets, &c. July — September. Perennial. 
Imperforate St. John’s- wort. (Hypericum dubium, Leers.)— Very similar to the 
Common St. John’s-wort (Hypericum perforatum), but with turned-back, broader, blunt sepals, 
petals less dotted with black glands, stem 4-sided, leaves larger and broader, with transparent veins 
Dut no transparent glands, edged with a few black glands underneath. 
Not common. Moist places. July — September. Perennial. 
Square-stalked St. John’s-wort. (Hypericum quadratum, Stokes.)— Another 
similar species. The flowers paler and smaller, the sepals erect and pointed ; the stem 4-sided, 
branched, and the leaves half clasping the stem (semi-amplexicaul), with many transparent glands 
and veins. 
Common. Moist places. July — September. Perennial. 
Wavy St. John’s-wort. (Hypericum undulatum, Schousb.)— Very similar to the 
Square-stalked St. John’s-wort (Hypericum quadratum), but with stalkless black glands on the 
sepals, narrower petals, and leaves with wavy edges. 
Very rare. Bogs in Devon and Cornwall. July — September. Perennial. 
Trailing 1 St. John’s-wort. (Hypericum humifusum, Linn.)— Flowers few, small, 
inch across. Sepals 5, united at the base, unequal, generally edged with black glands ; petals 
5, edged with black glands ; stamens few, in 3 bundles ; styles 3, much shorter than the capsule, 
which is 3-celled, and opens by 3 valves ; stems 2-10 inches long, very slender, numerous, trailing, 
with small, oblong leaves, opposite, stalkless, with or without transparent dots. 
Common. Gravelly banks, commons, etc. July — August. Perennial. 
Narrow-leaved St. John’s-wort. (Hypericum linarifolium, Vahl.)— Flowers 
!~§ inch across. Sepals 5, narrow, fringed with hairs tipped with black glands : petals 5, twice as 
long as the sepals, with black dots on the margins ; stamens few, in 3 bundles ; styles 3, nearly as 
long as the capsule, which is 3-celled and opens by 3 valves; stem 6-12 inches high, slender, 
erect, with narrowly oblong leaves. 
Very rare. Dry, hilly places, Cornwall, Devon, and Channel Isles. July — August. Perennial. 
Small Upright St. John’s-wort. (Hypericum pulchrum, Linn.)— Flowers £-§ inch 
across, bright yellow, often tinged with red on the outside. Sepals 5, oval, stalkless, edged 
with stalkless glands ; petals 5, fringed with red glands ; stamens in 3 bundles ; styles 3, shorter 
than the capsule, which is 3-celled and opens by 3 valves. Stems 1-2 feet high, numerous, 
round, erect, smooth ; the leaves of the main stem broadly heart-shaped, clasping the stem 
(amplexicaul), those of the side branches narrower, all marked with transparent dots. 
Common. Heaths, commons, dry places. July — August. Perennial. 
Hairy St. John’s-wort. (Hypericum hirsutum, Linn.)— Flowers f inch across, pale 
yellow. Sepals narrow, fringed with stalked, dark-coloured glands ; stamens in 3 bundles ; styles 
3, about as long as the 3-celled capsule. Stem 1-3 feet high, erect, round, and hairy ; the leaves 
slightly stalked, oblong, downy, marked with transparent glands ; the whole plant hairy. 
Fairly common. Woods and bushy places, especially on chalky soil. July — August. Perennial. 
Mountain St. John’s-wort. (Hypericum montanum, Linn.)— A similar plant, 
but with the sepals fringed with stalked black glands, the leaves smooth and stalkless, crowded in 
the middle and very distant in the upper part of the stem, the lower ones clasping the stem, and 
the whole plant without hairs. 
Not common. Woods, copses, especially on chalky soil. July — August. Perennial. 
