Hypericum triquetrifolium

Hypericum triquetrifolium, Hypericum crispum, Triangular Leaved St John’s Wort, Tumble St.John’s-wort,

Hebrew: פרע מסולסל, Arabic: العرن مثلث الأوراق

Scientific name:   Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra
Synonym name:   Hypericum crispum L.
Common name:   Triangular Leaved St John’s Wort, Tumble St.John’s-wort
Hebrew name:   פרע מסולסל
Arabic name:   العرن مثلث الأوراق
Family:   Hypericaceae, St. Johnswort Family, פרעיים


Life form:   Hemicryptophyte
Stems:   To 45 cm tall, with tangled branches; both leaves and stems have numerous, tiny, black oil glands
Leaves:   Opposite, entire
Flowers:   Yellow
Fruits / pods:   Dry capsule, which splits to release numerous small seeds
Flowering Period:   May, June, July, August, September
Habitat:   Batha, Phrygana
Distribution:   Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Montane vegetation of Mt. Hermon
Chorotype:   Med – Irano-Turanian
Summer shedding:   Ephemeral


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.

triquetrifolium, triangular leaved.
crispum, closely curled; finely waved.
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 Turra is used to indicate Antonio Turra (1730-1796), Italian botanist .
  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.

See the list of Medicinal herbs in Israel, the parts used and their medical uses to treat various diseases.