St John's wort?

[agrumpycow]

I think this is a type of St. John's-wort but I can't identify which one. It was growing in a hedgerow at the side of a footpath in a country park in Berkshire.

[aeshna5]

Definitely a St. John's Wort, Hypericum. Can't really see all the detail, but looks like Perforate, H. perforatum.

[Deer Stalker]

Need to see the stem & if the leaves have tiny holes in to be sure, but it does look like 'Perforate'.

[agrumpycow]

Thanks, yet again I forgot to get a picture of other parts of the plant (slapped wrists!). Having looked up pictures of Perforate, H. perforatum if my memory serves me right it was like that. Cheers

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by Deer Stalker

Need to see the stem & if the leaves have tiny holes in to be sure, but it does look like 'Perforate'.

Just to be a bit clearer - they are not actually holes
but tiny windows.

Pick one leaf and hold it up to the bright sky and if it is
"perforate" you will see lots of tiny "hole" or pinpricks
in the leaf - they are very small and a low powered
hand lens makes it easier to see (especially at my age!).

[Tiggrx]

It probably is Perforate S-J-w, but it could also be Imperforate S-J-w (Hypericum maculatum) or the hybrid between them (H. x desetangsii) - hard to tell from a picture.

[Adam Cheeseman]

I'd go for Perforate. Imperforate usually has much paler leaves. Can't say I've seen the hybrid.

Cheers,

Adam

[AlanS]

From what we can see of the leaf-shape, the shape of the sepals and the generally rather untidy look of the plant, I feel fairly confident that this is the hybrid, Hypericum x desetangsii, as has already been one of Tiggrx's suggestions.

Perforate St. John's-wort, though common in the south, is much confused with the hybrid. In some areas, the hybrid appears to be the commoner plant.

Alan

[JennyS]

Hi Alan - does the hybrid have imperforate leaves and round 2-ridged stems?
Do both H.perforatum and H.maculatum have to be present for the hybrid to occur or is it fertile?

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by JennyS

Hi Alan - does the hybrid have imperforate leaves and round 2-ridged stems?
Do both H.perforatum and H.maculatum have to be present for the hybrid to occur or is it fertile?

The hybrid can have 2-4 ridges on the stem and usually has few translucent dots - but it is variable. It is fertile and often occurs away from the parents