pale St. John's-wort

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Mountain St. John's Wort
• Pale St John's-wort
• Pale St. John's-Wort

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hypericum montanum f. imperforatum
• Hypericum montanum f. verticillatum
• Hypericum montanum f. abbreviatum
• Hypericum montanum var. caucasicum
• Hypericum montanum subsp. elegantissimum
• Hypericum montanum f. humifusoides
• Hypericum montanum var. scabrum
• Hypericum montanum f. ternatum
• Hypericum montanum var. triphyllum
• Adenosepalum montanum
• Hypericopsis montana
• Hypericum elegantissimum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malpighiales, it falls under the family Hypericaceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Hypericum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across various regions of Northern Europe. Its presence can be documented within the borders of Denmark and Finland. Additionally, it is found throughout the natural landscapes of Great Britain. The species also inhabits the territories of Norway and Sweden. Together, these locations define the specific geographical range of Hypericum montanum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Hypericum montanum is characterized by its presence across diverse high-altitude landscapes, where it thrives within a specific vertical distribution reaching an elevational range maximum of 2000 m AMSL. This species is typically found colonizing a variety of environments, ranging from dense forest understories and open meadows to rugged mountain terrain and thick shrubberies. Its ability to inhabit these varied ecosystems suggests an adaptability to different light levels and soil compositions found within montane habitats.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, meadows, mountains, shrubberies

Life history

The life history of Hypericum montanum is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, ensuring its presence in the ecosystem over multiple growing seasons. It functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or organic matter during unfavorable conditions. This species exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage seasonally as part of its survival strategy to endure period-specific environmental shifts.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Hypericum montanum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. This plant is a self-supporting, non-climbing species that functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic or epiphytic tendencies, and is strictly terrestrial in its habitat. In terms of stature, it exhibits a modest height, with individual plants typically ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 1 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.35 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.35 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Hypericum montanum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a standard carbon fixation process typical of many temperate herbaceous plants. The plant is non-carnivorous, relying on soil-based nutrient uptake rather than the capture of prey. Its foliar morphology displays a consistent leaf width, which maintains a mean and maximum value of 1.5 cm, while the leaf length reaches a maximum of 3 cm. The average leaf size is measured at 4.44 cm², reflecting a specific leaf architecture optimized for its environmental niche. Furthermore, the plant exhibits a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 246 cm²/g, a metric that provides insight into its leaf thickness and resource allocation strategies regarding light interception and photosynthetic efficiency.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

3 cm

Leaf size mean:

4.44 cm²

Leaf width mean:

1.5 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

246 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hypericum montanum is primarily driven by sexual processes, as asexual reproduction is noted to be absent. The flowering period typically begins in June and extends through August. This reproductive cycle relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically involving insects, with bees identified as a key pollinator. While the plant is capable of self-fertilization, it utilizes these insect vectors to facilitate genetic exchange. Following successful pollination, the plant develops fruit in the form of a capsule, which is characterized as dehiscence, meaning it opens at maturity to release its contents. The seeds produced are quite small, with a mean length of 1 mm (ranging from a minimum to a maximum of 1 mm) and a mean mass of approximately 0.0002719 g, though individual seed mass can vary from as little as 0.00005 g to as much as 0.00069 g. Dispersal of these seeds is anemochorous, meaning they are dispersed by the wind.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit type :

capsule

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

1 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00069 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000271933333333333 g

Seed mass min:

5e-05 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Hypericum montanum has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Germacrene D.

Germacrene D

1. Pharmaceutical biology