hpericu[Wildflowers with 5 Petals in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

The St. Johnswort Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

Hypericaceae

Flower of Common St. Johnswort, Common St. John's Wort, Klamathweed, Klamath Weed: Hypericum perforatum

Common St. John's Wort from the Rainy Lake Rd, Mt. Hood N.F..........July 27, 1994.

Members of the St. Johnswort Family Found in the Columbia River Gorge:

Bog St. John'swort, Creeping St. Johnswort, Tinker's Penny: Hypericum anagalloides - Plants matted, less than 10 cm high. Petals less than 6 mm long, about equal to the sepals. Stamens less than 50. Plants of very moist areas.

Note: The following two varieties have been lumped together as Hypericum scouleri:

Scouler's St. Johnswort, Scouler's St. John's-wort, Western St. John's-wort: Hypericum scouleri ssp. scouleri (Synonyms: Hypericum formosum ssp. scouleri, Hypericum formosum var. scouleri) - Plants erect, generally over 10 cm high. Petals much greater than 6 mm long, much longer than the sepals. Stamens greater than 50. Sepals triangular to ovate-lanceolate in shape, less than 3X as long as wide. Plants with widespread stolons and rhizomes, but not with a taproot.

Western St. John's-wort, Norton's St. John'swort: Hypericum formosum ssp. nortoniae (Synonyms: Hypericum formosum ssp. scouleri var. nortoniae, Hypericum formosum var. nortoniae) - This variety has not been confirmed from the Columbia River Gorge.

Common St. Johnswort, Common St. John's Wort, Klamathweed, Klamath Weed: Hypericum perforatum - Plants erect, generally over 10 cm high. Petals much greater than 6 mm long, much longer than the sepals. Stamens greater than 50. Sepals linear-lanceolate in shape, 3-5 times long as wide. Plants with taproot and some short rhizomes or stolons.


Paul Slichter E-mail