HYPERICUM JOVIS

Family and Genus:- See- GUTTIFERAE/Sect. CORIDIUM

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Hypericum (Gr) Above-pictures. A name used by the Greek physician

and botanist Dioscorides for its use over shrines to repel evil spirits.

Jovis (L) For the Roman god, Jupiter.

General description:- Perennial, many-branched.

Stems:-

1) Up to 50 cm, erect and caespitose with strict branching, or procumbent,

straggling and rooting.

Leaves:-

1) Simple, opposite 4-6 mm, linear-lanceolate, in whorls of 4, hairless, crowded,

glaucous.

Flowers:-

1) Yellow, solitary or few together.

2) Sepals, sessile, margins eglandular.

3) Petals, and stamens deciduous.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule. narrowly ellipsoid.

Key features:-

1) Flowers, solitary or few.

2) Leaves, 4-6 mm. strongly glaucous.

3) Capsule, narrowly ellipsoid.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Somewhat shady crevices and ledges of limestone cliffs 300-1100 m.

Distribution:- Endemic central Crete. Rare.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis

Status:-

Conservation status (for threatened species): Rare (R) according to IUCN 1997.

Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981.