| Hypericum hookerianum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Young flower | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Hypericaceae |
| Genus: | Hypericum |
| Section: | H.sect. Ascyreia |
| Species: | H. hookerianum |
| Binomial name | |
| Hypericum hookerianum Wight & Arnott | |
Hypericum hookerianum, orHooker's St. John's Wort, is a perennial shrub in theflowering plant familyHypericaceae native to eastern and southern Asia. Thespecific namehookerianum is named forWilliam Jackson Hooker.[1]
Hypericum hookerianum is a glabrous shrub that ranges from 6–8 ft (1.8–2.4 m) in height. Its moderately hard wood is closely grained.[2] Theterete branches of the shrub are a reddish brown. Its obtuse leaves are eithersessile or possess short stalks and taper to a point at their apex. The leaves range beneath from greyish-green to a rusty hue and are faintlytranslucent. The leaves are among the largest of the genus, measuring between 2–4 in (51–102 mm) long. Thecymes of the shrub have few flowers or arecorymbose and possessbracts. The branches of thepanicle aredichotomous or trichotomous and bear many opposite leaves that grow smaller as they approach the flowers. The deeply cupped flowers are golden yellow and measure 2 in (51 mm) wide. The petals are nearly obovate withdenticulate margins and are longer than thestamens.[3] The stamens are numerous and are each united into five bundles. The small, sphericalanthers are orange to yellow. Theovary is broadly ovate and tapers upwards, terminating into fivestyles that are recurved at their apex. Thestigma is obtuse and downy. Thecalyx is composed of five large, lax, and obovatesepals. The sepals are united at their base and their membranous margins are denticulate.[4] It flowers in July.[5]
Hypericum hookerianum can be found in southernIndia, theHimalayas, from north-westernThailand toBangladesh,China, andCalifornia.[6][7]
TheaphidsAulacorthum solani,Myzus ornatus, andMyzus persicae feed on the shrub.[8]
The extract of the leaf ofHypericum hookerianum is a strongantioxidant and can enhance spontaneous motor activity.[9][10]