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H Y P E R I C UM elodes.
M arjh St. John s Wort.
J / 2
P O L T A D E L P H I A Polyandria.
G e n . C h a r . Cal. fiv e-c le ft. Petals fiv e . Filaments
n um e ro u s , u n ite d a t th e b afe in to th r e e o r five fets.
Cap/ule r o u n d ifh .
Spec. Char. Styles three. Stem round, creeping, villous
as well as the leaves, which are roundilh.
Syn. Hypericum elodes. Linn. Sp. PI. 1 10 6 . HudJ. FI.
An. 334. With. Bot. Arr. 8x5. Relh. Cant. 289.
Afcyron fupinum villofum paluftre. Rail Syn. 344.
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S PO N G Y bogs in feveral parts of England produce this
pretty fpecies, nor has it been obferved in any other country,
except the northern part of France (Dalibard Parif. 234). This
fpecimen grew on Hayes common in Kent; Dr. Smith found
the plant on Derlingham moor near Lynn, and Francis Borone
in Cornwall.
The ftem is round, and grows nearly proftrate among wet
mofles and grafs, throwing out long fibrous perennial roots
from the firft three or four joints ; its fubftance is fpongy ; its
upper part downy. Leaves oppofite, covering the ftem, almoft
orbicular, blunt, rarely emarginate, entire, with about feven
nerves, clothed, efpecially on the back, with down, compofed of
fine fhort jointed hairs. The panicle,- terminal at firft, becomes
lateral by the protrufion of the ftem beyond it, and is dichotomous,
rarely producing more than from five to ten flowers,
which appear in July and Auguft, feldom expanding except in
bright funfhine. Calyx divided about half way, fringed with
red glands, as are likewife the bradtese. Petals with greenifh
ribs. Stamina in three fets, divided about half way down into
from three to five filaments. Styles three. Nedlary of three
little yellow glands at the bafe of the germen.
This, as Linnseus obferves, is very nearly related to his H. to-
mentofum, which however differs from elodes in having oblong
leaves, the veins of which fpring from the mid-rib, and not from
the bafe, a much larger and more compound panicle, calyx and
ftamina more deeply divided, the former bearing black or purple
glands.