Uganda: Rwenzori NP – Mountain St Johns Wart

This was a very unexpected find high up in Rwenzori – St John’s Wart trees. This medicinal plant is spread worldwide and is usually just small plants with yellow flowers (known in Russian as “зверобой”). But the species that grows in Rwenzori is huge tall trees with flowers almost 4-5 times the size of their northern relatives. Sunbirds pollinate it. I am still trying to figure out exactly what species this is – there is no mention anywhere of St. John’s Wart being large trees – but there it was – I saw it!