Hypericum scouleri

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Hypericum scouleri
Hypericum scouleri - Steve Matson 01.jpg
Flowers and upper stems, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Hypericaceae
Genus: Hypericum
Species:
H. scouleri
Binomial name
Hypericum scouleri
Synonyms [2]
List
    • Hypericum collinum var. schmitzii R.Keller (1908)
    • Hypericum formosum A.Gray (1853)
    • Hypericum formosum var. nortoniae (M.E.Jones) C.L.Hitchc. (1961)
    • Hypericum formosum subsp. scouleri (Hook.) C.L.Hitchc. (1961)
    • Hypericum formosum var. scouleri (Hook.) J.M.Coult. (1886)
    • Hypericum nortoniae M.E.Jones (1910)
    • Hypericum simulans Rose (1906)

Hypericum scouleri, known by the common name Scouler's St. John's wort in English, is a flowering species of plant from western North America. It grows in areas around streams and wetlands from Canada to the highlands of Mexico. It is sometimes mistaken for the invasive Perforate St John's wort from Eurasia.

Contents

Description

Hypericum scouleri is a herbaceous plant with stems that are either vertical or grow outwards a short distance before curving to grow upwards. At full size stems typically range from 5 to 66 centimeters in height, but occasionally may reach 80 cm. [3] The stems sprout from a creeping rootstock. Infrequently, the stems may be branched. [4] Between nodes the stems usually have two faint lines, but also may lack them. They do not have black glands, but will occasionally have reddish ones. [3]

The leaves are attached on opposite sides of the stems at the nodes and usually spread outwards, but occasionally they may point upwards instead. [3] The leaf shape varies and may resemble an egg with the largest part towards the base (ovate leaves), have curved sides with the widest portion in the middle (elliptic leaves), or be an oblong rectangle with rounded corners (oblong leaves). [4] They range in size from 12–32 millimeters in length, but are more often shorter than 28 mm, and 6–18 mm in width. [3] The leaves are also covered in oil glands that are black, but translucent if held up to the light. [5]

Flowers

Flowers and buds photographed in Santa Fe National Forest, Sandoval County, New Mexico Hypericum scouleri - Craig Martin 01.jpg
Flowers and buds photographed in Santa Fe National Forest, Sandoval County, New Mexico

Hypericum scouleri has flowers that are bright yellow and resemble stars with their five petals and long stamens. [5] The petals may sometimes be blushed with red. [3] Like the leaves, the petals have oil glands. [4] The flowers are in clusters of eight to twenty at the ends of stems in a roughly pyramidal or cylindrical inflorescence. Occasionally there may be fewer flowers in a inflorescence. They most often are 6–15 millimeters in diameter, but may sometimes reach as much as 25 mm across. [3] At the rear of a bloom, the sepals are egg shaped and 2–5 mm long. [4] The number of stamens is very large, from 50 to as many as 109. [3]

The fruit is a capsule that is 6–10 millimeters in length and 3.5–6 mm wide with three lobes and oil tubes ( vittae ) running the length. The seeds are smaller than 1 mm and brown in color and do not have ridged shape. [3] [6]

It greatly resembles its European relative Common St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). They can be distinguished by Hypericum scouleri generally growing in wet meadows and along streams instead of dry habitats and the leaves being wider in H. scouleri. In addition Common St John's wort has more branched stems and its flowers are in a cluster with a flat top. [5]

Taxonomy

The botanist Sir William Jackson Hooker scientifically described and named Hypericum scouleri in 1831. [2] Though the species is generally accepted, there are differences on the status of its subdivisions. It is listed as having no valid subspecies by Plants of the World Online, [2] World Flora Online, [7] , and World Plants. [8] Other sources, such as the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS database, continue to list two subspecies, Hypericum scouleri ssp. nortoniae and Hypericum scouleri ssp. scouleri. [9]

Studies of genetics show that the most closely related species is Hypericum formosum . [10]

Names

Hooker named the species scouleri to honor the naturalist John Scouler who accompanied David Douglas on his expedition to the Columbia river in the 1820s. [4] In English it is generally called Scouler's St. John's wort. [11] It is also called Western St. John's wort on occasion, [12] however this name is more commonly applied to Hypericum formosum. [13]

Range and habitat

Hypericum scouleri grows in western North America from southern Canada to central Mexico. [2] In Canada it grows in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. [9] Within British Columbia it is known from the southern portion of Vancouver Island and the interior mountains in the south of the province. [14] In the United States the species grows from the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountain States, being limited to the mountainous portions of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. [9] In Mexico it grows in four states, Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Michoacán, and Hidalgo. [8]

Hypericum scouleri perfers moist locations such as streambanks and openings in well watered quaking aspen groves. [11] In the Rocky Mountains they grow at the same elevation as ponderosa pines or in spruce-fir forests in the montane ecosystem. [5] In the Great Basin it grows in riparian areas in the sagebrush steppe as well as into more mountainous areas. [11] It will often grow in fairly large colonies. [15]

Ecology

The klamathweed beetle ( Chrysolina quadrigemina ) was introduced to North America as a biological pest control agent for Common St. John's wort. Though in laboratory tests the beetles do successfully complete their lifecycle on Hypericum scouleri and related native species, it has not been reported to feed on it in natural conditions. Scientists speculate this may be due to the different habitats that the two plant species require. [16]

In 2019 NatureServe evaluated Hypericum scouleri as "globally secure" (G5), meaning it has no significant threats or known declines in population. At the local level they evaluated it as "secure" (S5) in British Columbia. In neighboring Alberta they gave it the status of "critically imperiled" (S1). In the United States they evaluated it as "apparently secure" (S4) in Wyoming and "vulnerable" in Nevada, but have not evaluated the rest of the species range. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Hypericum perforatum</i> Flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum perforatum, commonly known as St John's wort, is a flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae. It is a perennial plant that grows up to one meter tall, with many yellow flowers that have clearly visible black glands around their edges, long stamens, and three pistils. Probably a hybrid between the closely related H. attenuatum and H. maculatum that originated in Siberia, the species is now found worldwide. It is native to temperate regions across Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of North and South America. In many areas where it is not native, H. perforatum is considered a noxious weed. It densely covers open areas to the exclusion of native plants, and is poor grazing material. As such, methods for biocontrol have been introduced in an attempt to slow or reverse the spread of the species.

<i>Aquilegia coerulea</i> North American species of columbine

Aquilegia coerulea, the Colorado columbine, Rocky Mountain columbine, or blue columbine, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to the Rocky Mountains and some of the surrounding states of the western United States. It is the state flower of Colorado. The Latin specific name coerulea means "sky blue".

<i>Hypericum tetrapterum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae

Hypericum tetrapterum is a herbaceous perennial plant species in the flowering plant family Hypericaceae. Its common names include St. Peter's wort, Peterwort, square stemmed St. John's wort, and square stalked St. John's wort.

<i>Hypericum anagalloides</i> Species of flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum anagalloides is a species of flowering plant in the St. John's wort family Hypericaceae. It is known by the common names creeping St. John's-wort, tinker's penny and bog St. John's-wort.

<i>Hypericum mutilum</i> Species of flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum mutilum is a species of St. John's wort known by the common name dwarf St. John's wort. It is native to parts of North America and is present in other parts as an introduced species. It is an annual or perennial herb taking a multibranched erect form up to about 60 centimeters tall. The oval green leaves are one or two centimeters long and are covered in tiny glands. The inflorescence is a compound cyme of tiny flowers. H. mutilum subsp. mutilum and subsp. boreale have a diploid number of 16, and H. mutilum subsp. boreale can have a diploid number of 18.

<i>Silene scouleri</i> Species of flowering plant

Silene scouleri is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names simple campion and Scouler's catchfly.

<i>Frasera speciosa</i> Species of flowering plant in the gentian family

Frasera speciosa is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family (Gentianaceae) known by the common names elkweed, monument plant, and green gentian. When blooming it grows a tall stalk with numerous flowers that have purple dotted green petals. Each plant can flower just once before it dies.

<i>Hypericum aegypticum</i> Species of flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum aegypticum is a species of flowering plant of the St. John's wort family (Hypericaceae) which is native to the Eastern Mediterranean. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in the second volume of his Species Plantarum in 1753, who named it after Egypt despite it not being distributed there. The plant is commonly known as shrubby St. John's wort or Egyptian St. John's wort in English. Like other members of section Adenotrias, it is found among limestone rocks in coastal areas. While it has been evaluated as threatened on the island of Malta, the species has no legal protections.

<i>Hypericum punctatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypericum punctatum, the spotted St. John's wort, is a perennial herb native to North America. The yellow-flowered herb occurs throughout eastern North America into southern Canada. The process of microsporogenesis carried out by this plant is prone to errors in chromosomal segregation. It has a diploid number of 14 or 16. Insects are attracted to the plant's pollen and the hypericin in the plant's leaves is toxic to mammals.

<i>Hypericum canadense</i> Species of flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum canadense, known as Canadian St. Johns-wort, lesser St. John's wort, and lesser Canadian St. Johnswort, is a flowering plant in the genus Hypericum. It is a yellow-flowering annual or perennial herb native to North America and introduced to Ireland and The Netherlands. The specific epithet canadense means "Canadian".

<i>Hypericum lancasteri</i> Species of flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum lancasteri, known as Lancaster's St. John's wort or as zhan e jin si tao in Chinese, is a species of flowering plant in the St. John's wort family Hypericaceae. The species has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

<i>Hypericum myrtifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypericum myrtifolium, the myrtleleaf St. Johnswort, is a species of flowering plant in the St. John's wort family, Hypericaceae. It is endemic to the Southeastern United States. It was first described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1797.

<i>Hypericum oblongifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypericum oblongifolium, known as Pendant St. John's wort, is a species of flowering plant in Hypericumsect. Ascyreia.

<i>Hypericum patulum</i> Species of flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum patulum, known as goldencup St. John's wort or yellow mosqueta, is a species of flowering plant in Hypericumsect. Ascyreia.

<i>Hypericum przewalskii</i> Species of flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum przewalskii, commonly called Przewalski's St. John's wort, is a flowering plant in Hypericumsect. Roscyna that is native to China.

<i>Hypericum aucheri</i> Species of flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum aucheri, also known as Koramanotu in Turkish, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the St. John's wort family Hypericaceae.

<i>Hypericum coris</i> Species of flowering plant in the St Johns wort family Hypericaceae

Hypericum coris, the heath-leaved St. John's wort, also called yellow coris, is a species of flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae, and is the type species of sect. Coridium. It is a low shrub, and it is found in Switzerland and northwestern Italy. The species has been a popular garden plant since the 18th century, valued for its long flowering period and for how well it adapts to cultivation.

Hypericum harperi, the sharplobe St. Johnswort or Harper's St. John's wort, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae. It is an aquatic herb native to southeast North America. H. harperi has a diploid chromosome number of 24.

References

  1. 1 2 NatureServe (2024). "Hypericum scouleri". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Hypericum scouleri Hook". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Robson, Norman K. B. (5 November 2020). "Hypericum scouleri - FNA". Flora of North America. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Heil, Kenneth D.; O'Kane, Jr., Steve L.; Reeves, Linda Mary; Clifford, Arnold (2013). Flora of the Four Corners Region : Vascular Plants of the San Juan River Drainage, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. St. Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. pp. 444–445. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Dodson, Carolyn; Dunmire, William W. (2007). Mountain Wildflowers of the Southern Rockies : Revealing Their Natural History. Albuquerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press. pp. 28–29. ISBN   978-0-8263-4244-7 . Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  6. ↑ Preston, Robert E.; Talbot, Jennifer (2012). "Hypericum scouleri". Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora. University of California, Berkley. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  7. ↑ "Hypericum scouleri Hook". World Flora Online . Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  8. 1 2 Hassler, Michael (30 June 2024). "Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. Version 19.4". World Plants. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 Hypericum scouleri, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Profile, 13 July 2024
  10. ↑ Meseguer, Andrea Sánchez; Aldasoro, Juan Jose; Sanmartín, Isabel (May 2013). "Bayesian inference of phylogeny, morphology and range evolution reveals a complex evolutionary history in St. John's wort (Hypericum)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 67 (2): 379–403. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.02.007.
  11. 1 2 3 Blackwell, Laird Richard (2005). Great Basin Wildflowers : A Field Guide to Common Wildflowers of the High Deserts of Nevada, Utah, and Oregon. Guilford, Connecticut: FalconGuide. p. 148. ISBN   978-0-7627-3805-2 . Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  12. ↑ Kershaw, Linda (2000). Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies (First ed.). Edmonton, Alberta: Lone Pine Publishing. p. 141. ISBN   978-1-55105-229-8 . Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  13. ↑ "Western St. John's Wort (Hypericum formosum)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  14. ↑ Turner, Mark; Gustafson, Phyllis (2006). Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. p. 214. ISBN   978-0-88192-745-0 . Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  15. ↑ Rose, Frank S. (2011). Mountain Wildflowers of Southern Arizona : A Field Guide to the Santa Catalina Mountains and Nearby Ranges. Tucson, Arizona: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press. p. 115. ISBN   978-1-886679-42-9 . Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  16. ↑ Hinz, Hariet L.; Schwarzländer, Mark; Gassmann, André; Bourchier, Robert S. (December 2014). "Successes We May Not Have Had: A Retrospective Analysis of Selected Weed Biological Control Agents in the United States". Invasive Plant Science and Management. 7 (4): 565–579. doi:10.1614/IPSM-D-13-00095.1.
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