12. Hypericum Perforàtum L. Common St. John's-Wort

Fig. 2892

Hypericum perforatum L. Sp. Pl. 785. 1753.

Perennial, herbaceous from a woody base, 1°-2° high, much branched. Stems erect, with numerous barren shoots at base; leaves sessile, oblong or linear, s"-10" long, 1"-4" wide, obtuse, more or less black-dotted; cymes terminal, several-many-flowered; flowers bright yellow, 8"-12" broad; sepals lanceolate, acute, shorter than the copiously black-dotted petals; stamens united at their bases into 3 sets; styles 3; capsule ovoid, 2"-3" long, 3-celled, glandular.

In fields and waste places, common throughout our area except the extreme north, and in the Southern States. Naturalized from Europe. Often a troublesome weed. Native also of northern Asia. June-Sept. English names, amber, penny-john, rosin-rose, herb-john. Johnswort. Cammock. Touch-and-heal. Crushed herbage odorous.

13. Hypericum Punctàtum Lam. Spotted Or Corymbed St. John's-Wort

Fig. 2893

H. maCulatum Walt. Fl. Car. 189. 1788. No Crantz. H. punctatum Lam. Encycl. 4: 164. 1797. H. corymbosum Muhl.; Willd. Sp. Pl. 3: 1457.

1803. H. subpetiolatum Bicknell; Small, Fl. SE. U.

S. 790. 1903.

Herbaceous, perennial from a woody base, erect, 1 1/2°-3° high. Leaves sessile, short-petioled, or partly clasping, oblong or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, 1'-3' long, 4"-8" wide, copiously black-dotted; cymes terminal, many-flowered; pedicels about 1" long; flowers much crowded, 4"-7" broad; sepals ovate-oblong, acute, about half as long as the conspicuously black-dotted petals; stamens numerous, united in 3 or 5 sets; styles 3, variable in length; capsule ovoid, 2"-3" long, completely 3-celled.

In moist soil, Quebec and Ontario to Minnesota, Florida and Kansas. June-Sept.

14. Hypericum Pseudomaculatum Bush. Large Spotted St. John's-Wort

Fig. 2894

Hypericum pseudomaculatum Bush; Britton, Man. 627. 1901.

Similar to the preceding species, but the leaves, at least the upper ones, acute, ovate to oblong-lanceolate; flowers larger; sepals lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate; petals pale yellow, three to five times as long as the sepals, sometimes 10" long; capsule completely 3-celled, narrowly ovoid, 3"-4" long.

Woodlands and lawns, Illinois and Missouri to Texas, east to South Carolina and Florida. May-June.

15. Hypericum Gravèolens Buckley. Mountain St. John's-Wort

Fig. 2895

Hypericum graveolens Buckley, Am. Journ. Sci. 45: 174. 1843.

Herbaceous, perennial, similar to the preceding species. Stem erect, 1°-3° high, branched above; leaves oval, ovate or elliptic-oblong, sessile or clasping, obtuse, 1'-3' long, 1/2'-1' wide, sparingly black-dotted; cymes terminal, few-several-flowered; pedicels 1"-4" long; flowers usually crowded, 1' in breadth or more; sepals lanceolate, acute, much shorter than the sparingly dotted or dotless petals; stamens united in sets; styles 3; capsule ovoid, somewhat 3-lobed, 3-celled, 4"-6" long.

Mountains of southwestern Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. June-Sept.