Hypericum thymifolium

Hypericum thymifolium, Hypericum serpyllifolium, Thyme-leaved St. John’s Wort,

Hebrew: פרע קטן-עלים, Arabic: عرن زعتري الأوراق

Scientific name:   Hypericum thymifolium Kunth; Hypericum thymifolium Banks & Sol.
Synonym name:   Hypericum serpyllifolium Lam.
Common name:   Thyme-leaved St. John’s Wort
Hebrew name:   פרע קטן-עלים
Arabic name:   عرن زعتري الأوراق
Family:   Hypericaceae, St. Johnswort Family, פרעיים


Location: Mount Carmel
Life form:   Chamaephyte
Stems:   Stiff, erect stems
Leaves:   Opposite, entire, smooth margin
Flowers:   Hermaphrodite, ןnflorescence cymoseת yellow
Fruits / pods:   Septicidal capsule, homogeneous seeds-fruits
Flowering Period:   April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Habitat:   Mediterranean maquis and forest, Hard rock outcrops
Distribution:   Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands
Chorotype:   Mediterranean
Summer shedding:   Perennating


Location: Mount Carmel

Derivation of the botanical name:

Hypericum, hyper, above, eikon, picture; from the old practice of placing flowers above an image in the house to ward off evil spirits at the midsummer festival of Walpurgis Night, which later became the feast of St. John held in late June when they are in bloom, and thus took the name of St. John’s wort.

thymifolium, Thyme-leaved.
serpyllifolium, serpyllum, thyme; folium, leaf; with leaves like Thymus serpyllum.
The Hebrew name: פרע, Hypericum, the ‘St. John’s wort’, from פרע, to dishevel the hair. Syrian פרע (= it sprouted), Late Arabic: fara ‘a ( =it sprouted).

  • The standard author abbreviation Kunth is used to indicate Karl(Carl) Sigismund (1788 – 1850) , a German botanist.
  • The standard author abbreviation Banks is used to indicate Joseph Banks (1743 – 1820), an English naturalist, botanist and patron of the natural sciences.
  • The standard author abbreviation Sol. is used to indicate Daniel Solander (1733 – 1782), a Swedish botanist.
  • The standard author abbreviation Lam. is used to indicate Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744 – 1829), a French naturalist.



Location: Mount Carmel