Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Hypericum elodes

Family

Hypericaceae

Flowering season

June to September

English distribution

It is found mainly in the Northwest, the Southwest and the

South.

It is thinly scattered elsewhere.

See the BSBI distribution map for Marsh St John’s-wort

Habitat

It grows on wet, acid, nutrient-poor soils such as damp

heaths, heathland pools, the edges of streams, and

seepages. It also grows in shallow water and may form

floating mats.

It is declining due to drainage and loss of habitat.

Description

Marsh St. John’s-wort is a native, stoloniferous, perennial

herb growing up to 40cm.

Flowers appear are up to 1.5cm and have 5 yellow, lined

petals.

They are often not open.

Stamens are in 3 bundles and have yellow anthers.

There are 3 styles with capitate pale stigmas.

The 5 sepals have stalked red glands.

Leaves are broadly oval, grey-green, and extremely hairy.

The hairs prevent the leaves from becoming wet.

The lower stems are grey and very hairy.

The upper stems and the flower stalks are red in exposed,

open water, and greener in the more shaded conditions

of bogs.