Hypericum perforatum
- noun
- /ˈhaɪpərɪkəm pərˈfɔːrətəm/
- Specialized
:
hipérico perforado
- Look at that Hypericum perforatum!
Examples
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I found Hypericum perforatum growing near the old barn.
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Hypericum perforatum is widely used in herbal medicine as a remedy for mild depression.
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Ranchers consider Hypericum perforatum to be a troublesome weed in grazing lands.
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The bright yellow flowers of Hypericum perforatum appear throughout the summer months.
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Many people use Hypericum perforatum as a natural remedy for mild depression.
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The bright yellow flowers of Hypericum perforatum bloom in summer, often found in meadows.
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In some regions, Hypericum perforatum is considered a weed due to its invasive growth.
Synonyms
A plant with yellow flowers that spreads quickly in fields and pastures
A bushy plant from Europe and Asia with bright yellow flowers used in herbal medicine
A plant with bright yellow flowers used as a natural medicine and in old stories to keep away evil
Surface Forms
Morphology
Hypericum + perforatum
This is a Latin binomial (scientific name) functioning as an arbitrary taxonomic label rather than a compositional English phrase. Even if a learner knows 'Hypericum' as a plant genus, the second element 'perforatum' is not a common English word (and is not transparent), so a B1 learner would not be able to derive the ordinary meaning or common name (St John's wort) from the constituents without prior exposure.
Etymology
Hypericum perforatum gets its common name 'St John's wort' because it often blooms around 'St John's Day' in late June, and 'wort' is an old word for a healing plant. The second word perforatum means 'perforated' and refers to the tiny oil dots on the leaves that look like small holes when you hold them to the light, so the name helps you remember this yellow medicinal plant.
