This species of St. John's wort with an almost cosmopolitan distribution is present in many regions of Northern and Central Italy, in Sardinia, and in Calabria. It grows in wet riparian meadows and along damp forest trails, especially in beech woods, from sea level (where it is rare) to about 1200 m. The species is rare on the edge of the Sardinian temporary ponds. The genus name derives from the Greek 'hyper' (above) and 'eikon' (image, likeness), likely referring to the ancient custom of adorning the house with the flowers on the day of the Feast of Walpurgisnacht, later replaced by that of St. John (June 24th), an auspicious day to hang bunches of hypericum on the front door as protection from devils (also the common Italian name refers to that tradition); the species name refers to the prostrate stems. Flowering period: June to September. |
