Hypericum androsaemum L.

Family: GUTTIFERAE

Genus: Hypericum

Catalan common name: Curalotot. Fulles de bàlsam. Orval.

Spanish common name: Androsemo. Curalotodo. Orovale. Pericón. Sanalotodo. Todabuena. Zubón..

Province distribution: Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Atlantic mediterranean

Plants protected by law: País Valencià Catalogue.

IUCN Category: VUVulnerable

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: River forests. Non-saline wetlands (intermittent watercourses, streams, artesian wells, ditches). Riparian woodlands and tall, humid herbaceous vegetation

Characteristics: Perennial herb, up to 1.2 m tall, lacking hairs and the characteristic black, red, or amber glands found in other species of the genus. Leaves opposite, ovate to lanceolate, large (5-10 x 1-6 cm), partially clasping the stem. Flowers with yellow petals 5-10 mm long, slightly larger than the sepals, with numerous stamens arranged in 5 fascicles. Berry, fleshy, ripening from reddish to black. Seeds winged

Observations: A similar species, cultivated as an ornamental, is Hypericum calycinum, which is mainly distinguished by its narrower and longer leaves, sessile but not clasping the stem, much larger petals, and non-winged seeds