categoryZUnderShrubs UnderShrubs List 
categoryZShrubs Shrubs List 
categoryZDeciduous Deciduous List 
categoryZBrooadleaf Broadleaf List 

STINKING TUTSAN

Hypericum hircinum

St John's Wort Family [Hypericaceae]

Flowers:
month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug

Berries: berryZpossible        berryZgreen berryZyellow berryZred berryZblack  (poisonous)
berry8aug berry8sep berry8sept berry8oct berry8nov

category
category8Shrubs
 
category
category8UnderShrubs
 
category
category8Deciduous
 
category
category8Broadleaf
 
status
statusZneophyte
 
flower
flower8yellow
 
inner
inner8green
 
morph
morph8actino
 
petals
petalsZ5
 
stem
stem8round
 
stem
stem8ribbed
 
smell
smell8stinks smell8billygoat smell8goaty smell8awful
stinks

18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
A deciduous shrub or tall under-shrub up to 1.5m tall.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The flowers occur at the ends of individual stems, in a small branched cluster of up to a dozen or so, but usually many less.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Un-like round berries of Tutsan, the berries (fruits) are elongated into a conical point.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The petals drop off, and so too eventually the stamens leaving the fruit. The stems are contrarily said to be square or with four ridges. Leaves in opposite pairs up the stems.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Five elliptical yellow petals and a multitude of stamens bearing fawn-coloured pollen. The ovary in the centre is at first greenish, becoming yellow (as here) before turning scarlet red when the petals and stamens have dropped off. Note the three yellow styles on the ovary; these may still be seen on the red berries.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Large flowers, between 2.5 and 4cm across with stamens longer than the petals but sepals much shorter than the petals.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The developing berry may still have the remnants of the three styles atop. Leaves light green.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Flowers (or berries) in a small cluster atop each stem on short stalks.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The five sepals (light green) are still on but the petals have long since dropped off. Withered styles still atop some berries.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Leaves in opposite pairs, in quadrature up the stems.


18th Sept 2008, Rochdale Canal, Mills Hill, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Leaves are matt and net-veined.


The plant smells strongly of billy-goat when crushed, an identifying feature when distinguishing it from other Tutsans.

Hybridizes with : Tutsan (Hypericum androsaemum) to produce Tall Tutsan (Hypericum inodorum), which despite the scientific name, does smell when crushed, not of billy goat, but rather of aromatic compounds.

The berries on Hypericum species are poisonous, especially those that turn from pale green through yellow, red and finally to black.

Although Stinking Tutsan is deciduous, but Tutsan is half-evergreen.


  Hypericum hircinum  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Hypericaceae  

Distribution
 family8St John's Wort family8Hypericaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Hypericum
Hypericum
(St John's=worts)

STINKING TUTSAN

Hypericum hircinum

St John's Wort Family [Hypericaceae]