The four-petal St. John’s wort is a pretty cool plant with yellow flowers that grow in clusters. It’s different from other St. John’s wort plants because it has four petals instead of five.
Four-petal St. John’s wort (Hypericum tetrapetalum) is an evergreen perennial shrub. Its blooms are bright lemon-yellow with four petals and four sepals. The leaves are ovate to cordate-shaped, oppositely arranged, and have entire margins.
They clasp the stem and tend to be bluish-green, but may also be yellowish-green or reddish. Stems are glabrous and woody at the base. The plant can bloom throughout the year, but late spring is usually its best bloom time.
It occurs naturally in moist flatwoods, sandhills, and ruderal areas. The plant grows 20–100 cm (7.9–39.4 in) tall. Young stems are two- or four-lined, becoming two-lined or terete as they age.
The leaves are oblong to triangular-ovate, 5–35 mm (0.20–1.38 in) long, 4–15 mm (0.16–0.59 in) across, with heart-shaped, clasping bases. The terminal flowerheads produce one to three flowers, each flower 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) in diameter with 4 bright yellow petals and about 100 stamens. The capsules are three-parted.
It is distinguished from the closely related Hypericum crux-andreae by its broader leaves with clasping bases.
In traditional medicine, St. John’s wort has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. The ancient Greeks utilized it for its calming effects, believing it could alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. It was also employed to treat physical ailments, such as wounds and inflammations.
In modern herbal medicine, St. John’s wort is primarily known for its antidepressant effects. It is used to ease symptoms of depression and anxiety, and its applications extend to treating chronic pain, inflammation, cuts, burns, and infections. The plant’s versatility allows it to be used in various forms, including teas, tinctures, poultices, and oils.
1www.flawildflowers.org2en.wikipedia.org3www.healthpub.com4christopherhobbs.com5guimeds.com
The four-petal St. John's wort (Hypericum tetrapetalum) is an evergreen perennial shrub with bright lemon-yellow flowers, ovate to cordate-shaped leaves, and woody stems.
It grows in moist flatwoods, sandhills, and ruderal areas, typically reaching 20-100 cm in height. The plant's unique characteristics distinguish it from other St. John's wort species.
In traditional medicine, St. John's wort has been used for centuries to treat various ailments, including anxiety, depression, wounds, and inflammations.
In modern herbal medicine, the plant is primarily known for its antidepressant effects and is used to ease symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as chronic pain, inflammation, cuts, burns, and infections.
The versatility of St. John's wort allows it to be used in various forms, including teas, tinctures, poultices, and oils.
Its applications extend beyond traditional medicine, with ongoing research exploring its potential uses in modern medicine.
While there is no mention of ongoing research or potential future discoveries in the provided text, the plant's historical use and versatility suggest that further studies may uncover new benefits and applications for St. John's wort.