Compilation
Hypericum revolutum

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Name

Identification
Hypericum revolutum Vahl [family HYPERICACEAE ]
Related name
  • Hypericum revolutum
Common name
  • giant St. John’s wort (Kenya, Dale & Greenway)., Burkill, H.M. 1985. The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 2
  • mosoni (AJC) (WEST CAMEROONS, KPE), Burkill, H.M. 1985. The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 2

Flora

Entry for Hypericum revolutum [family HYPERICACEAE]
Herbarium
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Compton Herbarium, Cape Town (SAM)
Collection
Flora of Southern Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of South Africa, (2003) Author: Dr J.P. Roux
Names
Hypericum revolutum [family HYPERICACEAE]
Common names
H. kalmii Forsk., Fl. Aegypt.-Arab. CXVIII (1775), nomen nudum. H. lanceolatum Lam., Encycl. 4: 145 (1797); Oliv. in F.T.A. 1: 156 (1868); Bak.f. in J. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) 40: 26 (1911); Eyles in Trans. R. Soc. S. Afr. 5: 420 (1916); Good in J. Bot., Lond. 65: 330, t.582, fig. 1 (1927); Staner in Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 13: 74 (1934); Robyns, Fl. Pare Nat. Alb. 1: 620, t.62 (1948); Perrier in Fl. Madag. Hypericaceae: 3 (1951); Milne-Redh. in F.T.E.A. Hypericaceae: 4 (1953); in Mem. N.Y. Bot. Gard. 8: 221 (1953); Keay & Milne-Redh. in F.W.T.A. ed. 2,1: 287, 1.109 (1954); Robson in Kew Bull. 12: 444 (1957). Type: Reunion ("Bourbon"), Commerson (LINN-SM, iso.!). H. leucoptychodes Steud. ex A. Rich., Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 96 (1847); Good, I.e. t.582, fig. 3-5 (1927); Norlindh in Bot. Notiser 1934: 100 (1934); Bredell in Bothalia 3: 580 (1939); Phill. in Flow. PI. S. Afr. 20: t.787 (1940); Brenan, Checklist Tang. Terr. 249 (1949). Syntypes: Ethiopia, near Dschenausa, Schimper
Information
Shrub up to 3 m high (12 m in tropical Africa). Stems 4-angled when young, but be­coming ± terete, often with scaly bark. Leaves sessile, narrowly elliptic, 0,8-2,5 cm long, 3-6 mm wide, apex acute, base cuneate, narrowing to a clasping base, venation sparsely pinnate, tertiary venation variously conspicuous, with translucent longitudinal glands or striae and few dark submarginal glands. Flowers solitary, terminal. Sepals unequal, ovate, 6-10 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, concave, with few dark submar­ginal glands and often numerous stalked mar­ginal glands. Petals obovate-spathulate, 2-3 cm long, 0,8-1,8 cm wide, yellow, without dark submarginal gland dots. Stamens in 5 bundles of 20-30 each; filaments 8-15 mm long; anthers c. 1-1,3 mm long, with apical gland. Ovary ovoid, 4—6 mm long, 3-5 mm wide; styles 5, 4-8 mm long, united except for upper 1,5-4 mm. Capsule ovoid, 1-1,2 cm long, 0,7-1,1 cm wide, 5-valved.
Habitat
An attractive plant with large, yellow flowers, known as the Forest Primrose or Curry Bush, because of the curry-like odour given off by the leaves, particularly when crushed. According to Watt & Brandwijk (1962) the plant has been used as a source of balsam. In the Haenertsburg area of the Transvaal it is called "Nature's Fire Break" because, situated as it often is at the edge of forests, it is said to prevent fire from penetrating forest (Hodgson s.n. in PRE). However, it is doubtful whether the plant is particu­larly fire-resistant. Experimentally it has induced non-icteric photosensitization in sheep, due apparently to the presence of hypericin (Watt & Brandwijk, 1962).
Use
1. Hypericum revolutum Vahl, Symb. Bot. 1: 66 (1790); Christensen in Dansk Bot. Ark. 4,3: 39 (1922); Robson in Kew Bull. 14: 251 (1960); in F.Z. 1: 381 (1961); Moggi & Pisacchi in Webbia 22: 236, t.l (1967). Lec-totype: "Arabia felix, in montibus", Forskal 796 (C!).
Range
Found on streambanks and the edge of forest in the Transvaal, Natal, Swaziland and the eastern Cape. Also occurring in tropical Africa, Fernando Po, Malagasy, the Comoro Islands and Reunion.

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