Genus: Hypericum
Species: H. Perforatum
Family: Clusiaceae
Common names: St. John's wort, Tipton's weed, Klamath weed

Description:
Hypericum are best known as St John's wort , Tipton's Weed or Klamath weed. The flowers are yellow with five petals and occur between Spring and mid Summer. When the flowers or seed pods are crushed, it produces a red/purplish liquid. The name comes from 24 June (St. John's day) when it is traditionally harvested when it flowers.

Medicinal Use:
The primary use of Hypericum is as an antidepressant. It is widely known as a herbal treatment for major depression. Hypericum is also prescribed for mild depression, especially in children and adolescents. It has also been noted that Hypericum may decrease alcohol intake.

Hypericum, or St. John's wort has been available on the commercial market for some time and can be bought over the counter in the form of capsules, tablets, teas and tinctures. The plant can be cut, dried and stored to be infused as a home-made tea, although it has a bitter taste.

General information:
Hypericum has been used in ancient Greece and is known eversince for it's medicinal value. Native American used it as an anti-inflammatory, astringent and antiseptice. The flowers have also been used to produce dyes. The stems of the plant can grow up to about 1m high. The flowers appear in broad cymes at the ends of the upper branches. The sepals are pointed, with glandular dots in the tissue. There are many stamens, which are united at the base into three bundles.