Species: Square-stalked St John's Wort (Hypericum tetrapterum)
Family: St John's Worts (HYPERICACEAE)
Category: Flowering Plants
Location: SE
A. Flowering Plants
More extensive information on flowering plants can be found in a separate blog post.
B. St John's Worts (HYPERICACEAE)
The St John's Worts have opposite, untoothed, resinous, dotted leaves, which may be speckled with tiny black or translucent spots. The flowers are radially symmetrical. St John's Wort tea or tincture is taken for depression, anxiety, menstrual tension, and used externally to treat cuts and burns. This family of flowers was used as symbolic of the sun, as were other yellow flowers, and they protected against demons, faeries, witchcraft, poisons, and poisonous animal bites, especially at midsummer. They could also predict the future if picked and kept indoors after making a wish. If still fresh next morning, the wish would come true.
C. Square-stalked St John's Wort (Hypericum tetrapterum)
The stalk has square cross-section, and the leaves have translucent dots. It is a native, flowering from July.
