Hypericum libanoticum
| Hypericum libanoticum | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Spermatophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Hypericaceae |
| Genus: | Hypericum |
| Subgenus: | Hypericum subg. Hypericum |
| Section: | Hypericum sect. Hirtella |
| Species: | H. libanoticum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hypericum libanoticum N.Robson
| |
Hypericum libanoticum, commonly referred to as the Lebanese St. John's-wort, is a perennial herbaceous plant species within the genus Hypericum and the family Hypericaceae.[1][2] The species was first typified and taxonomically described by the British botanist Norman Robson in 1970 within Paul Mouterde's botanical compendium Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie.[1][3] Endemic to specific high-altitude limestone terrains of the Levant, the plant is primarily distributed across the mountain ranges of Lebanon and southwestern Syria.[4][5]
Description
[edit]Hypericum libanoticum is a glabrous, suffrutescent perennial herb that features multiple sterile, densely leafed stems clustered tightly at its base.[3] The floriferous stems are erect or ascending, reaching heights of approximately 60 centimetres, and are marked longitudinally by two faint lines.[3] The primary leaves of the floriferous stems are relatively small, measuring 4 to 15 millimetres in length and 1 to 2 millimetres in width, and frequently display a curved profile.[3] The margins of the leaves are more or less convolute, terminating in an apex that is either rounded or abruptly apiculate.[3] Structurally, the leaf lamina is densely covered with transparent, pellucid punctures (internal glands).[3] The lower sections of the flowering stems and the basal sterile shoots possess distinct axillary fascicles.[3]
The inflorescence forms a elongated, narrowly pyramidal to spike-like cyme.[3] The blossoms feature pale golden-yellow petals, measuring between 6 and 10 millimetres in length.[4] These petals are unguiculate (clawed) at the base, and their margins are shortly black-glandular-ciliate or lined with subsessile black glands, while the limb itself is pellucid-punctate.[4] The long stamens are arranged in a triadelphous configuration (fused into three bundles).[4] The resulting fruit is an ovoid to ovoid-pyramidal capsule measuring 4 to 6 millimetres long, which is faintly striate and possesses three divergent or recurved style bases.[4] The seeds are brown, papillose, curved-cylindric, and measure approximately 2 millimetres.[4] Hypericum libanoticum undergoes its flowering cycle during the summer months, with anthesis occurring between May and August.[4]
Hypericum libanoticum is morphologically related to Hypericum retusum.[4] It is distinguished diagnostically from H. retusum by a total absence of black punctation across its stems, leaves, sepals, and petals.[4] Furthermore, its leaves are entirely eglandular at the apex, and its petals are only shortly ciliate with black glands restricted exclusively to the margins.[4]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]The species is native to the temperate Asian microclimates of the Western Levant, specifically restricted to Lebanon and Syria.[1] It primarily colonizes rocky, wooded limestone slopes and montane scree environments at elevations ranging between 1,700 and 1,800 metres above sea level.[4]
Within Lebanon, recorded populations are localized across both the Mount Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges, with documented concentrations in Jba'ah, Maasser Al-Chouf, Jabal Barouk, the Cedars of Ain Zhalta, Jabal al-Knayseh, Jabal Sannine, Hasroun, Zahlé, Wadi El-Arayesh, Yammoune, and the broader Beqaa Valley.[4] In Syria, its distribution is confined to the Anti-Lebanon range, specifically on the upper slopes of Mount Hermon, Bloudan, Zabadani, Wadi Abou-el-Hom, Wadi-el-Harir, and Wadi-el-Qarn.[4] The botanical type specimen was gathered from the western slopes above Ain Zhalta at an elevation of 1,700–1,800 metres by J. Bornmüller (Specimen ID: Bornmüller 11533).[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- Flora-Fauna (2024). "Hypericum libanoticum Profile". Flora-Fauna Life Project.
- Lebanon Flora (2024). "Hypericum libanoticum N.Robson". Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth.
- Robson, N. K. B. (1986). "A Review of Hypericum sect. Hirtella". Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. 43 (2): 255–265. doi:10.24823/nrbge.1986.3425.
- Selina Wamucii (2024). "Hypericum libanoticum - Uses, Benefits & Common Names". Selina Wamucii Global Plant Database.
- Trefle (2024). "Hypericum libanoticum Species Data". Trefle Project.
- World Flora Online (2026). "Hypericum libanoticum N.Robson". WFO Consortium.