{{Short description|Species of flowering plant in the St John's wort family}} {{Speciesbox |image = Hypericum ericoides fruto.jpg |genus = Hypericum |parent = Hypericum sect. Coridium |species = ericoides |authority = L. }}
'''''Hypericum ericoides''''' is a dwarf shrub in the flowering plant family Hypericaceae,<ref name="nih">{{Cite journal|title= Various fractions of Hypericum x moserianum and Hypericum ericoides possess antiglycation, anti-lipid peroxidation, antioxidative activities and non-toxic effects in vitro|pmid=26004727|volume=28|issue=3|date=May 2015|journal=Pak J Pharm Sci|pages=933–8 | last1 = Abbas | first1 = G | last2 = Shahzad | first2 = M | last3 = Saddiqe | first3 = Z | last4 = Hassan | first4 = MJ | last5 = Saba | first5 = S | last6 = Rafique | first6 = J | last7 = Malik | first7 = R | last8 = Hussain | first8 = H}}</ref> section ''Coridium''. It is found in eastern and southeastern Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia. Its preferred habitat is fissures in calcareous rocks in warm, sunny places, from 200 to 2,000 meters above sea level (MASL).
== Description == ''Hypericum ericoides'' is an evergreen flowering dwarf shrub whose height is between {{Convert|2 and 20|cm|4=1|sp=us}}. Its deciduous leaves are whorled in groups of four, are about one-twelfth of an inch long, and have linear-lanceolate and recurved shape with a thin, waxy-grey colored covering, which is called a patina.<ref name=":0" /> Its leaves are very much like that of plants from the genus ''Erica'', which is where we get the ''ericoides'' of ''Hypericum ericoides''. This species' foliage helps scientists distinguish ''H. ericoides'' from other closely related species.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Bean's Trees and Shrubs|url = http://www.beanstreesandshrubs.org/browse/hypericum/hypericum-ericoides-l/|website = www.beanstreesandshrubs.org|access-date = 2015-10-15}}</ref> It has many thin, erect stems, ranging from 1 to 5 millimeters in width, branching out from a stout, woody base.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = Nomenclature {{!}} Hypericum online|url = http://hypericum.myspecies.info/taxonomy/term/865|website = hypericum.myspecies.info|access-date = 2015-10-08}}</ref>
Its flowers, which start to bloom in May and continue to bloom throughout summer,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.beanstreesandshrubs.org/browse/hypericum/hypericum-ericoides-l/|title=Bean's Trees and Shrubs|website=www.beanstreesandshrubs.org|access-date=2016-03-30}}</ref> range from one to one and a half centimeters in diameter, are often yellow in color, and have five petals.
== Medicinal use == ''Hypericum ericoides'' has been used for many years in Valentian folk medicine.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Xanthone Constituents of Hypericum ericoides|journal = Journal of Natural Products|date = 1982-03-01|issn = 0163-3864|pages = 134–136|volume = 45|issue = 2|doi = 10.1021/np50020a004|first = M. Luz|last = Cardona|first2 = Eliseo|last2 = Seoane}}</ref> The species has been studied for its antiglycation, antioxidation, anti-lipid peroxidation and cytotoxic activities.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Various fractions of Hypericum x moserianum and Hypericum ericoides possess antiglycation, anti-lipid peroxidation, antioxidative activities and non-toxic effects in vitro|journal = Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences|date = 2015-05-01|issn = 1011-601X|pmid = 26004727|pages = 933–938|volume = 28|issue = 3|first = Ghulam|last = Abbas|first2 = Muhammad|last2 = Shahzad|first3 = Zeb|last3 = Saddiqe|first4 = M. Jawad|last4 = Hassan|first5 = Sumbal|last5 = Saba|first6 = Jamal|last6 = Rafique|first7 = Rizwana|last7 = Malik|first8 = Hidayat|last8 = Hussain}}</ref> Studies have shown that the species can be used to dissolve kidney stones, improve blood circulation, and increase appetite.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.mitjagalta.org/llibrePLANTES.pdf|title = Hypericum ericoides|access-date = 2015-10-08|archive-date = 2008-08-28|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080828141120/http://www.mitjagalta.org/llibrePLANTES.pdf|url-status = dead}}</ref>
In addition, ''H. ericoides'' has a fairly low fatty acid composition in comparison to several other members of its genus.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Fatty acid composition and tocopherol content in four Tunisian Hypericum species: Hypericum perforatum, Hypericum tomentosum, Hypericum perfoliatum and Hypericum ericoides Ssp. Roberti|journal = Arabian Journal of Chemistry|volume = 10|pages = S2736–S2741|doi = 10.1016/j.arabjc.2013.10.019|first = Karim|last = Hosni|first2 = Kamel|last2 = Msaâda|first3 = Mouna Ben|last3 = Taârit|first4 = Brahim|last4 = Marzouk|year = 2017|doi-access = free}}</ref> It also contains some xanthone compounds.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cardona|first=M. Luz|last2=Seoane|first2=Eliseo|title=Xanthone Constituents of Hypericum ericoides|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/231715302|journal=Journal of Natural Products|volume=45|issue=2|pages=134–136|doi=10.1021/np50020a004|year=1982}}</ref>
== Subspecies == There are several unofficial subspecies of ''Hypericum ericoides'', including ''H. ericoides ericoides'', ''H. ericoides roberti'', and ''H. ericoides marrocanum''. As these are widely considered by the scientific community synonymous with ''H. ericoides'', and show no distinct difference with the species, these are not officially accepted subspecies.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Nomenclature {{!}} Hypericum online|url = http://hypericum.myspecies.info/taxonomy/term/3125|website = hypericum.myspecies.info|access-date = 2015-10-15}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q11915587}}
ericoides Category:Flora of Spain Category:Flora of Morocco Category:Flora of Tunisia