Hypericum androsaemum L.

Tutsan

Semi-evergreen shrub to 1 m tall. Young shoots with two expanded edges. Leaves ovate, mostly 5-10 cm long, bluntly cordate at the base, aromatic when crushed, whitish below, dots translucent, stalkless, orange-red in autumn. Flowers solitary or few mostly 2-2.5 cm wide. Sepals rather leaf-like, about as long as the petals. Stamens in 5 clusters about as long as the petals. Styles 3; summer. Fruit dry, berry-like, becoming black.

Europe, W Asia

Grows naturally in high rainfall areas (more than 750 mm annually) generally in damp, shady sites and forest edges.

The common name is derived from the French toute-saine or 'heal-all', referring to its medicinal properties. A proclaimed noxious weed for the state of Victoria (except for the metropolitan area) and weedy in New South Wales and New Zealand.

Leaves stalkless; stems 2-angled; flowers about 2.5 cm wide; sepals uneven and reflexed on old flowers, persistent; styles 3, free, short; fruits persistently fleshy.

Source: Spencer, R. (1997). Clusiaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

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Distribution map
kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Rosanae
order      Malpighiales
family       Clusiaceae
genus        Hypericum L.