Hypericum canariense

Hypericum canariense is a species of flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae known by the common name Canary Islands St. John's wort. It is the sole member of Hypericum sect. Webbia.

Hypericum canariense
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Hypericaceae
Genus: Hypericum
Section: Hypericum sect. Webbia
(Spach) R. Keller
Species:
H. canariense
Binomial name
Hypericum canariense
Varieties
  • H. canariense var. canariense
  • H. canariense var. floribundum (Dryand. ex Ait.) Bornm.
  • H. canariense var. platysepalum (Webb & Berth.) Ceb. & Ort.
Synonyms[2]
  • Hypericum floribundum Aiton
  • Webbia canariensis (L.) Webb & Berthelot
  • Webbia floribunda (Aiton) Spach

Etymology

Among its numerous aliases in Spanish are granadillo, espanta demonios, flor de cruz, and leña de brujas.[3] In Finnish, the species is known as Kanariankuisma.[4] Its specific epithet canariense is a reference to the populousness of H. canariense in the Canary Islands. As such, its common names include Canary Islands St. John's wort or Canary Islands Hypericum.[5]

Distribution

It is endemic to the Canary Islands and Madeira, where it grows in low-moisture scrub and forested slopes of the five westernmost islands from 150 to 800m.[6]: 219  It is also known as an introduced species in Australia, New Zealand, and the US states of California and Hawaii, where it is an escaped ornamental plant and generally considered a minor noxious weed.[7]

Habitat

Hypericum canariense grows in clayey or sandy soils, as well as in loam. It is found along creeklines and roadsides.[8] It is also prominent in dry scrub habitats and in mesic forests, often alongside Globularia salicina.[1]

Description

The species is a flowering shrub growing 2–3 metres (6 ft 7 in – 9 ft 10 in) in height. Its many stems bear waxy lance-shaped leaves 5–7 centimetres (2.0–2.8 in) long. The plentiful flowers each have five bright to deep yellow petals each just over a centimeter long and many yellowish whiskery stamens. It reproduces via the seed in its dehiscent dry fruits and also vegetatively via rhizome.[9]

The species is commonly misidentified as H. canadense or Peritoma arborea because of their similar flower structure and large stamens.[10]

Varieties

The species has three accepted varieties:[11]

  • H. canariense var. canariense
  • H. canariense var. floribundum (Dryand. ex Ait.) Bornm.
  • H. canariense var. platysepalum (Webb & Berth.) Ceb. & Ort.

References
  1. Rivers, M.C.; da Silva Menezes de Sequeira, M.P.; Fernandes, F. (2017). "Hypericum canariense". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T83764446A86139383. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T83764446A86139383.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. "Hypericum canariense in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  3. "Granadillo (Hypericum canariense)". Atlas rural de Gran Canaria (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-04-29.
  4. "Canary Island St. Johnswort - Hypericum canariense - Overview - Encyclopedia of Life". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  5. "Hypericum canariense (HYPCN)[Overview]| EPPO Global Database". gd.eppo.int. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  6. Bramwell, D.; Bramwell, Z. (2001). Wild flowers of the Canary Islands. Madrid, Spain: Editorial Rueda. ISBN 84-7207-129-4.
  7. "Composite List of Weeds | Weed Science Society of America". wssa.net. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  8. Attractions, Western Australian Herbarium, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and. "FloraBase—the Western Australian Flora". florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-10-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. "Flora of Victoria". vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
  10. "Canary Island St. John's Wort (Hypericum canariense)". iNaturalist.org. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  11. "Hypericum canariense L." www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
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