- Region
- North America
- Origin
- Wet meadows and banks in the mountains of western North America, from British Columbia to Mexico
- Traditions
- Hupa medicine
North America · Herb · № 976
Hypericum scouleri (syn. H. formosum var. scouleri)
Herb · North America
Scouler's St John's wort
Hypericum scouleri (syn. H. formosum var. scouleri)
A native St John's wort with yellow, black-dotted flowers, related to common St John's wort. Like it, it contains hypericin and hyperforin.
Safety notes
Like St John's wort it can make the skin sensitive to sunlight and change the action of many medicines, such as the pill, blood thinners and antidepressants. Not in pregnancy. Traditional use is no proof of effect; consult a doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication or have a medical condition.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Hupa medicine: Can make the skin sensitive to sun and interact with medicines.
Preparation
Take a leaf in the mouth; tea of the flowering herb.
Use in traditions
In the Hupa story a jealous man shot Yimantuwinyai in the mouth with a poisoned arrow. He rolled about in a frenzy until he came to his senses under a California bay laurel. On that spot a herb grew; he put it in his mouth and made it a medicine. Goddard identified it as this St John's wort.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Hupa medicine
Attributed effects
The herb that came up where Yimantuwinyai rolled about after a poisoned arrow in the mouth; he made it a medicine.
Preparation and amount
Take a leaf in the mouth.
Caution: Can make the skin sensitive to sun and interact with medicines.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Tea (infusion)