Hypericum erectum

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is placed in the order Malpighiales and the family Hypericaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Hypericum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide distribution across several key regions in Eastern Asia. In the Russian Far East, its presence is noted specifically within the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. Moving southward, the species is also found throughout various parts of China, including the South-Central and Southeast regions. Furthermore, the geographical range extends into Japan, marking its presence in the Eastern Asian landscape. Collectively, these locations highlight the diverse habitats where the species thrives.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Hypericum erectum is closely tied to its preference for specific terrestrial environments, primarily thriving within the shaded and semi-shaded layers of forests and dense shrubberies. Within these habitats, the plant occupies niches where it can benefit from the dappled sunlight filtered through a canopy, allowing it to establish itself amidst the complex structural diversity of woodland understories. Its presence in shrubberies suggests a capacity to compete with various woody perennials, utilizing the moisture-retentive soils and organic matter typical of these ecosystems to support its growth. By integrating into these forested and shrub-dominated landscapes, Hypericum erectum plays a role in the localized biodiversity of its environment, relying on the stable microclimates provided by the surrounding vegetation.

Habitat :

forest, shrubberies

Life history

The life history of Hypericum erectum is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years and maintains its presence in the ecosystem through multiple growing seasons. Throughout its life cycle, the plant undergoes a predictable series of developmental stages, beginning with seed germination in favorable soil conditions, followed by a vegetative phase dedicated to root establishment and foliage development. As a perennial, it possesses the ability to regrow from its perennial structures each spring, allowing it to persist in its habitat over long periods. During its reproductive phase, the plant produces flowering structures that facilitate sexual reproduction via pollination, eventually leading to seed dispersal to ensure the continuation of future generations.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Hypericum erectum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically categorized as a herb and a forb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, and it maintains an independent existence rather than acting as a parasite or an epiphyte. As a terrestrial species, it grows in soil rather than aquatic or semiaquatic environments. The plant's stature is relatively modest, with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.25 m to a maximum of 0.7 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.7 m

Plant height mean:

0.5 m

Plant height min:

0.25 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Hypericum erectum is characterized by distinct morphological dimensions of its foliage, which play a critical role in its photosynthetic capacity and resource acquisition. The leaf structure exhibits significant variability in size, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 5 cm, maintaining a mean length of 3.25 cm. Complementing these longitudinal measurements, the leaf width demonstrates a specific range of development, spanning from a minimum of 0.8 cm to a maximum of 1.3 cm. These specific leaf dimensions contribute to the plant's overall surface area optimization, facilitating efficient gas exchange and light interception within its physiological framework.

Leaf length max:

5 cm

Leaf length mean:

3.25 cm

Leaf length min:

1.5 cm

Leaf width max:

1.3 cm

Leaf width min:

0.8 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hypericum erectum is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering cycle and the development of specialized fruit and seed structures. The flowering period typically commences in June and concludes in August, marking the peak reproductive window for the species. Following pollination, the plant produces fruits that exhibit highly consistent dimensions, maintaining a mean and constant length of 1 cm and a mean and constant width of 0.4 cm, with no recorded variance between the minimum and maximum measurements. The resulting seeds are extremely lightweight, possessing a uniform mass of 5e-05 g, with no deviation between the mean, minimum, and maximum seed mass values.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit width max:

0.4 cm

Seed mass mean:

5e-05 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Hypericum erectum has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include hyperforin, prolificin A.

hyperforin

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

prolificin A

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Hypericum erectum has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer.

Anticancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Hypericum erectum has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer.

Cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Hypericum erectum has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanol extracts.

Methanol extracts

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR