Saint Johnsworts (Hypericum)

16 3.1.141-268,270 Hypericum SJW = Saint Johnswort. From Gk hyper (above) and eikon (a picture), it was hung above pictures to ward off evil spirits. The common name derives from the fact that the flowers are said to bloom on St. John's Eve, June 24.

Herbs:

..... stigmas 3 stigmas capitate
styles united I  
styles separate to the base: ..... .....
styles 3(4): stamens grouped into fasicles   II
styles 3(4): not grouped   III
styles 5   IV

Shrubs:

perianth mostly of 4 = Group V

perianth mostly of 5 = Group VI

Group I -- united styles and 3 stigmas; the styles are united or closely connivent below, persistnet as a single straight beak on the fr & eventually splitting by dehiscing

..... lvs very narrow lvs elliptical
sep oblanceolate to narrowly obovate ..... pale sjw (10.ellipticum = elliptical) marshes & wet shores; NF to NY
sep lanceolate to ovate (11.adpressum = appressed, the lvs) marshes, shores & wet meadows; e MA to GA .....

Group II 3(4) separate styles, stamens grouped; stigmas capitate

..... branches sharply ridged below branches terete or nearly so
lvs equal to or less than 1.5" long common sjw (15.perforatum = perforated) black dots on petal margins; fields, meadows & along roads; Eurp, throughout .....
lvs 1.5-3" long ..... spotted sjw (16.punctatum = dotted) black glands on petals; moist or dry fields & open woods; QE to FL

Group III -- 3 separate styles, stamens not grouped; stigmas capitate

A. stamens 50-80; styles 2-4mm

coppery sjw (20. denticulatum = small-toothed)

pointed ellipitical lvs; fls coppery yellow; 4-angled stem

wet woods, bogs & marshes; NJ to GA

 

B. stamens 5-22; styles ca 1mm or less

..... lvs scale-like: lvs not scale-like: .....
..... 1-nerved lvs 1-3 nerved, tapering to base lvs commonly 3-7 nerved from the base
21)infl obviously cymose, each node generally w/ a terminal fl & 2 opposite lateral branches ..... ..... .....
22)fr ellipsoid, rounded above; sep broadest near the middle ..... ..... .....
23) bracts subulate; 5-16 stamens     dwarf sjw (21.mutilum) wet soil; NF to FL
23) bracts elliptical; 8-15 stamens     boreal sjw (22.boreale = northern) wet, sandy or mucky soil; NF to VA
22) fr ovoid or conic, narrowed more gradually above than below; sep broadest well below the middle ..... ..... .....
lvs linear to narrowly oblanceolate ..... Canadian sjw (25.canadense = Canadian) 12-22 stamens; sandy or muddy shores or wet meadows; NF to GA .....
lvs lanceolate to narrowly obolong to narrowly elliptic ..... ..... (24.majus = larger) 14-21 stamens; wet meadows & shores; NF to NJ
21) infl apparently racemose, the branches often alternate, bearing a series of solitary axillary fls; 5-10 stamens orange grass sjw (27.gentianoides = like Gentian) sterile, esp. sandy soil; ME to FL ..... .....

Group IV: 5 separate styles; stigmas capitate

 

..... lvs lanceolate to elliptical; sessile & sometimes clasping
5 separate styles; stigmas capitate great sjw (14. pyramidatum = pyramidal) moist soil; QE to PA

Group V. Shrubs, perianth of 4's

..... plants erect:   plants decumbent:
..... lvs linear to oblanceolate elliptical oblanceolate
styles mostly 2 St. Andrew's cross (2.hypericoides) dry or moist, sandy or rocky soil; NJs ..... (3.stragulum) dry rocky slopes & rich moist woods; LI s.
styles mostly 3 ..... St. Peterswort (1.stans) sandy soil; LI s. .....

Group VI shrubs, perianth of 5

Opposite entire leaves

..... 1-2 feet high 2-7 feet high: .....
..... ..... lvs & sep articulate (jointed) at base not articulate
styles mostly 5 (5 5 N 5) Kalm's sjw (4.kalmianum) discovered by Peter Kalm ca 1750; 1m; shors of the Great Lakes ..... .....
styles mostly 3(4) (5 5 5 N 3) ..... ..... .....
infl of 1-many fls, appearing leafy; fls (1-3)3-many per infl ..... ..... .....
fr up to 6x3mm; fls 7-many per infl ..... dense-flowered sjw (6.densiflorum = densely flowered) 2(-3)mm; smaller fls (1/2") & lvs; wet meadows & moist bottomlands, coastal plain; NJ s. .....
fr at least 7 x 3.5mm; fls (1-)3-7 per infl; fls 3/4" wide ..... shrubby sjw (7.prolificum) 2m; larger fls (3/4"); many habitats; NY s. .....
fls terminal & solitary (8.frondosum) 5-10dm; cedar glades, etc.; Tenn s. ..... .....
infls many-fld, appearing naked ..... ..... naked-flowering sjw (9.nudiflorum = naked flowered, from the infl having only small lvs) 5-20dm; wet soil; se VA s