tutsan

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• tutsan
• tutsan St. John's-wort
• Bible-leaf

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Androsaemum vulgare
• Hypericum androsaemum var. dilatatum
• Hypericum androsaemum f. variegatum
• Androsaemum officinale

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Malpighiales, it is classified under the family Hypericaceae. Finally, its taxonomic placement is completed within the genus Hypericum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across various regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, its presence can be noted in both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward the central part of the continent, it is also found throughout Middle Europe. Specifically, the species inhabits several countries including Austria and Belgium. Finally, its range extends into the territory of Germany within the Middle European region.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Hypericum androsaemum is defined by its presence in diverse mountainous and forested terrains. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1300 m AMSL, though it is most characteristically found at a mean elevation of approximately 2600 m AMSL. By occupying both forest environments and high-altitude mountain landscapes, the plant adapts to varying levels of canopy cover and topographic complexity within these montane ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

1300 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, mountains

Life history

The life history of Hypericum androsaemum is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural development and survival strategy, the species exhibits a dual life form classification, functioning as both a phanerophyte and a nanophanerophyte, which dictates its growth habit and how it manages its buds in relation to the ground surface. Furthermore, its deciduousness is categorized as variable, meaning the plant may shed its leaves or retain them depending on specific environmental conditions and seasonal shifts.

Deciduousness :

variable

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Hypericum androsaemum is characterized by a growth form that transitions between a shrub and a herb, manifesting as a non-woody, self-supporting structure. As a terrestrial plant, it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant's stature is relatively modest, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 1.5 m, resulting in a mean plant height of approximately 0.625 m. Although it possesses the structural integrity to be self-supporting, its non-woody nature and herbaceous to shrubby habit define its physical presence within its terrestrial habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.625 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Hypericum androsaemum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's vegetative morphology is defined by specific leaf dimensions, where the leaf length varies from a minimum of 3.5 cm to a maximum of 9 cm. Concurrently, the leaf width exhibits significant structural variation, ranging from a minimum of 0.4 cm to a maximum of 6.5 cm, with a mean width measured at 3 cm. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition strategy, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil rather than through symbiotic atmospheric fixation.

Leaf length max:

9 cm

Leaf length min:

3.5 cm

Leaf width max:

6.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.4 cm

Leaf width min:

3 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hypericum androsaemum is primarily driven by sexual processes, as asexual reproduction is noted to be absent. The flowering cycle is extensive and variable, typically beginning in December and continuing through to August. This reproductive phase is supported by a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically utilizing insect pollination to facilitate fertilization. Following successful pollination, the plant develops fruit classified as a berry, which is characterized by a mean length of 1 cm and a mean width of 1 cm. These fruits are dehiscence-based, meaning they are capable of dehiscence to release their contents. The dispersal of the species follows a zoochorous strategy, specifically through endozoochory, where seeds are dispersed via the digestive tracts of animals. The resulting seeds are remarkably consistent in size, with a fixed seed length of 10 mm. The mass of these seeds is quite small, with a mean seed mass of approximately $9.00625 \times 10^{-5}$ g, ranging from a minimum of $5 \times 10^{-5}$ g to a maximum of $1 \times 10^{-4}$ g.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

endozoochorous

Flowering time :

Dec

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length mean:

1 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Fruit width mean:

1 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

10 mm

Seed mass max:

1e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

9.00625e-05 g

Seed mass min:

5e-05 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Hypericum androsaemum has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology

Chemicals

Hypericum androsaemum has 17 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CHLOROGENIC ACID, 1,3,5-Trihydroxyxanthone, 1,3,6,7-Tetrahydroxyxanthone, 1,3,7-Trihydroxyxanthone, 1,7-Dihydroxyxanthone.

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

1,3,5-Trihydroxyxanthone

1. Phytochemistry

1,3,6,7-Tetrahydroxyxanthone

1. Planta medica

1,3,7-Trihydroxyxanthone

1. Phytochemistry

1,7-Dihydroxyxanthone

1. Planta medica

CATECHIN

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

CINNAMIC ACID

1. Planta

Flavonoids

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Glucosides

1. Planta medica

Hyperoside

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Activities

Hypericum androsaemum has 20 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiinflammatory, Anthelmintic, AntiHIV, Antibacterial, Anticancer.

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiedemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiglycation

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antileukemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antimalarial

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Hypericum androsaemum has 10 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include burns, depression, diabetes related complications, inflammation, liver diseases.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations