St John's Wort

St John's Wort (Hypericum), the typical genus of plants of the natural order Hypericeneæ. It is a numerous genus of herbs and shrubs widely distributed, both in the New and the Old World, particularly abundant in western Asia, southern Europe, and in North America; it occurs also within the tropics. The leaves are opposite entire, without stipules, often marked with glandular dots of two kinds, pellucid ones which are very apparent when the leaves are held against the light, and black ones which are usually on the under side of the leaves round the edge, or sometimes on the flowers. The flowers are regular, with five sepals, and five petals, usually yellow. They abound in a yellow resinous juice which is more or less purgative and anthelmintic. The common St John's Wort, an abundant native of Britain, even when slightly bruised yields copiously a yellow resinous juice, which, when rubbed between the fingers, emits a scent like lemons, and stains the skin dark purple. The plant has long been credited with powerful medicinal properties, but finds no place in the pharma- copœias, nor is it recognised by regular practitioners. It has been used as a vulnerary, both externally and internally, in chest complaints, dysentery, hæmorrhages, and jaundice. In France and Germany the plant is ceremoniously gathered on St John's Day by the common people as a charm for evil spirits, storms, and thunder; in North Wales a similar custom still exists, and in Scotland it was formerly worn as a charm on the person against all malignant influences. The leaves of H. androsaemum are called by the French toute saine, hence the English name Tutsan; in both countries they were formerly used to dress fresh wounds. Other species of Hypericum have similar properties. There are several species, such as H. calycinum (also called Aaron's Beard), frequently cultivated in British gardens.