''Hypericum hirsutum'' is a species of flowering plant in the family

Hypericaceae Hypericaceae is a plant family in the order Malpighiales, comprising six to nine genera and up to 700 species, and commonly known as the St. John's wort family. Members are found throughout the world apart from extremely cold or dry habitats. '' ...

, commonly known as hairy St John's-wort. It is found in Western Europe.

Description

''Hypericum hirsutum'' is a downy perennial plant that grows to two or three feet. It has erect stems and opposite pairs of untoothed, elongated oval leaves with translucent glandular dots. The terminal inflorescences have many pale yellow flowers. Each has five pointed

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coine ...

s with stalked black dots on the margins. The five petals also may have black dots and the many stamens are in bundles. Hairy St John's wort is very similar to common St John's wort (''H. perforatum'') but can be distinguished by the downy stems and the much longer leaves.

Phytochemistry

Miquelianin Miquelianin (quercetin 3-''O''-glucuronide) is a flavonol glucuronide, a type of phenolic compound present in wine, in species of St John's wort, like ''Hypericum hirsutum'', in ''Nelumbo nucifera'' (Indian lotus) or in green beans. It is also a ...

(Quercetin 3-O-glucuronide), a type of phenolic compound, is present in ''H. hirsutum''.

Distribution

''Hypericum hirsutum'' is a species of temperate regions and grows in Europe and western Siberia. It is uncommon and localised in Finland which is to the north of its European range In Britain it is a widespread species except for the far north and west while it is rare and localised in Ireland being found at only two sites in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

and with its Irish range centred around

County Dublin "Action to match our speech" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Dublin.svg , map_alt = map showing County Dublin as a small area of darker green on the east coast within the lighter green background of ...

Habitat and ecology

''Hypericum hirsutum'' is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

herb which prefers free-draining, neutral to base-rich soils. It grows in open or partially shaded habitats such as rough and ungrazed grassland, clearings and rides in woodland, on the banks of rivers and road verges. In Britain it has an altitudinal range from sea level to in Cumberland. At the very northern extreme of its range, in south-western Finland it grows in the open, lime rich situations and does not grow in shade.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q159185 hirsutum Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Flora of Europe