Family: Hypericaceae
spotted St. John's-wort
[Hypericum punctatum f. subpetiolatum Lam., more...]
Merel R. Black
Emmet J. Judziewicz
University of Wisconsin - Madison (WIS-VP)
Etymology: Hypericum: ancient Greek name derived from hyper, "above," and eikon, "picture," from old practice of placing flowers above an image in the house to ward off evil spirits at the midsummer festival of Walpurgisnacht, which later became feast of St. John
Plants: erect, perennial, 2'-3' tall forb, usually with only a few branches below the inflorescence
Leaves: oblong, blunt, covered with dot-like glands, more than 1/3" wide
Flowers: yellow, 5-parted, 1/3"-1/2" wide, on short stalks, dotted with amber glands and black lines; inflorescence a small, dense, branched cluster (cyme); blooms June-Aug.
Fruits: 3-chambered capsule
Habitat: moist to dry; woods, forests, openings, edges
Conservation Status: Native
Plants: erect, perennial, 2'-3' tall forb, usually with only a few branches below the inflorescence
Leaves: oblong, blunt, covered with dot-like glands, more than 1/3" wide
Flowers: yellow, 5-parted, 1/3"-1/2" wide, on short stalks, dotted with amber glands and black lines; inflorescence a small, dense, branched cluster (cyme); blooms June-Aug.
Fruits: 3-chambered capsule
Habitat: moist to dry; woods, forests, openings, edges
Conservation Status: Native
Mesic to swampy woods of sugar maple-basswood, oak, elm-aspen, oak-hickory, silver maple-river birch-green ash, white pine-oak, usually in clearings, low areas, or along trails; pastures, prairies, along streams and rivers, sedge meadows, roadsides and ditches and along railroads, rarely in old quarries.
Found mostly south of the Tension Zone in the Driftless Area and the southeast but extending farther north in some areas.
Found mostly south of the Tension Zone in the Driftless Area and the southeast but extending farther north in some areas.
Floristic Rating: Coefficient of Conservatism = 4, Wetland Indicator = FAC+ Atlas of the Wisconsin Prairie and Savanna Flora: by T.S. Cochrane & H.H. Iltis: habitat, distribution infomation / flowering and fruiting times USDA Plants Database: Federal Distribution and detailed information including photos Dan Tenaglia's The Missouri Flora: Fabulous photographs; detailed descriptions; color and leave arrangement key. David G. Smith's "Delaware Wilflowers": Beautiful photographs; descriptions Illinois Wildflowers: Wonderful photographs; detailed descriptions; color and leaf arrangement key Southwest School of Botanical Medicine: Britton & Brown Illustrated Flora - 2nd Edition (1913) "An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada"
Emmet J. Judziewicz
Emmet J. Judziewicz
