872 POLYADELPHIA. POLYANDRIA. Hypericum, 
H. du(bium. Stem imperfectly quadrangular : leaves blunt* without 
pellucid dots : calyx leaves elliptical. 
. E. Bot. 296. 
Stems several* two or three feet high* upright *• sprinkled with black dots. 
Leaves large* embracing the stem* egg-shaped* membranous at the edge* 
with black dots underneath. Calyx leafits very blunt* yellow green* 
marked with short black lines. Petals large* very entire* yellow* with 
black lines above and a few black spots underneath the edge* Leers ; 
or sometimes* according to Mr. Bourne* with dusky purple streaks on 
the under surface. (Young radical shoots bright red. Sm. E.) 
Imperforate St. John’s Wort. (Welsh: Eurinllys mawr. E.) Dis¬ 
covered first as an English plant by Dr. John Seward of Worcester* 
growing plentifully about Sapey in that county. At Hafod* Cardigan¬ 
shire* and in Mr. Knight’s woods at Downton Castle* near Ludlow. Sir 
J. E. Smith. (North Mimms* Herts. Mr. Sabine. FI. Brit. In a stone 
quarry at Hutton* near Ripon. Mr. Brunton. Near Whiston* by the 
road to Washington* Sussex. Mr. Borrer. Frank well Bank* Shrews¬ 
bury. Dr. Evans. Plentiful about Penrice* Glamorganshire. Mr. Dill— 
wyn. Near Downing* Flintshire* and on the brow to the west of Beau¬ 
maris mills. Rev. H. Davies. Banks of the Tees* near Middleton. Rev. 
J. Harriman. Bot. Guide. About Garn* near Denbigh. Mr. Griffith. 
Below Kirby Lonsdale Bridge. Mr. Winch. In a wood two miles from 
Lanark* on the Hamilton road. Hopkirk. E.) In Mr. Digby’s planta¬ 
tion at Meriden* Warwickshire. P. July—Aug. 
H. HUMiFU f suM. Flowers axillary* solitary: stems two-edged* pros¬ 
trate* thread-shaped : leaves smooth* elliptical. 
Curt . 162— FI Dan. 141—(E. Bot. 1226. E.)— Clus. ii. 181. 3 —Dod. 76. 2 
And when a year had passed away, 
All pale on her bier the young maid lay ! 
And the glow-worm came 
With its silvery flame. 
And sparkled and shone 
Through the night of St. John, 
As they closed the chill grave o’er the maid’s cold clay.** 
In Spain, similar rites are observed on the like occasion, but accompanied by a yet more 
whimsical fancy; for the lovely damsels of the banks of Guadalquiver, chanting the 
following strain* 
“ Come forth, come forth, my maidens, and slumber not away, 
The blessed, blessed morning, of St. John the Baptist’s day, 
There’s trefoil on the meadow, and lilies on the lea, 
And hawthorn blossoms on the bush, which you must pluck with me.” 
select their garland to adorn a “ snow-white wether,” from whose deportment, while an 
involuntary prisoner, the prognostics are deduced. Whether this plant, the renowned 
Vervain, or some other, were esteemed the most efficacious preservative from every ill 
accident by our ancestors, we know not, but certain it is that in more credulous ages 
implicit reliance was placed in such charms; and so important was their influence 
considered that it was usual in trial by combat, according to the law of arms, to exact an 
oath from both appellant and defendant, not merely that “ the cause for which they were to 
fight was just and true ; ” but that “ they had nothing to do with witchcraft or magic : 
nor carried about them any herb , or other kind of charm ! ” after which ceremonial, both 
having performed their devotions, they prepared themselves to fight, first with spears, then 
■with swords, and last with their daggers. Inter alia, vid, Annesley v, Ratrington, temp. 
Ed, III. E.) 
