Variation and varietal determination in Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's wort) in New South Wales.
1992
Campbell M.H. | May C.E. | Southwell I.A. | Tomlinson J.D. | Michael P.W.
Since 1929 it has been accepted that the only variety of the apomictic species, Hypericum perforatum L. in Australia is the narrow leaved var. angustifolium DC. To test this assumption specimens were collected in 1985-6 from various locations in New South Wales, grown for 4 years in a common environment at Bathurst. The species had a range of leaf sizes from what is accepted as broad (mean 12 x 24 mm) to what is accepted as narrow (mean 8 x 28 mm). Differences between broad and narrow leaved plants could not be recognized using protein electrophoresis but broad leaved species were shorter, earlier flowering, had larger capsules, thicker stems, lower levels of hypericin and fewer pellucid glands in the leaves than narrow leaved specimens. There were no differences in chromosome number. It is concluded that all forms collected in New South Wales, though they differ in leaf width, other morphological characters and chemical content are best considered as belonging to the same variable taxon, H. perforatum.
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