SAINT-JOHN'S-WORT

common name for the family Hypericaceae, in the tea order (Theales), which contains 8 genera and 350 species of herbs or low shrubs. Some authorities consider this family to be part of the family Guttiferae. Members of the family Hypericaceae have opposite or whorled, gland-dotted, simple, usually smooth-margined leaves and mostly five-petalled, mainly yellow, flowers with many stamens, which are often united in bundles. Rose of Sharon (Hypericum calycinum) About 300 species, both temperate and tropical, belong to the genus Hypericum. Aaron's-beard (H. calycinum; see photograph), sometimes known as rose of Sharon, and H. patulum are both shrubby, East Asian species. Aaron's-beard bears pale-yellow flowers with orange stamens, on 30-centimetre- (1-foot-) tall plants. The shrubby H. patulum has slightly smaller, deep-yellow flowers with darker stamens. H. elatum, from the Canary Islands, has egg-shaped, scarlet fruits. St.-Andrew's-cross (Ascyrum hypericoides) is cultivated as an ornamental shrub for its yellow flowers. The genus Cratoxylum, with 12 tropical Asian species, contains one garden plant, C. polyanthum. It is an aromatic shrub with pink flowers, papery oblong leaves, and winged seeds. H. perforatum has become a serious weed problem in southern Australia. See also Saint-Andrew's-cross.