ASTERACE.S. 



Chinese prepare their Moxa. This substance, employed as a con- 

 venient means of applying the actual cautery, is, however, obtained 

 from many other plants. 



945. A. Absinthium Linn. sp. pi. 1188. Eng. Bot. t. 1230. 

 Woodv. t. 120. Smith Eng. El. iii. 408. DC. prodr. vi. 125. 

 — Absinthium vulgare Lam. Jt. fr. 45. — Europe in various 

 parts, the Crimea, Siberia, Barbary, and Newfoundland. (Worm- 

 wood.) 



Root woody, branched at the crown, with numerous fibres below. 

 Whole herb covered with close silky hoariness, intensely bitter, to a 

 proverb, with a peculiar, strong, aromatic, not disagreeable odour. 

 Stems numerous, bushy, about a foot high, furrowed, leafy. Leaves 

 alternate, doubly pinnatifid, with broadish, blunted, entire segments, 

 rather greener on the upper side ; lower ones on long footstalks ; upper 

 on shorter, broader, somewhat winged ones. Flower heads on aggre- 

 gate leafy clusters, stalked, drooping, hemispherical, of numerous, pale- 

 yellow, or buff, florets. Styles very deeply cloven. Receptacle convex, 

 clothed with fine upright hairs. — Common Wormwood is a powerful 

 bitter, much extolled as a stomachic, and recommended by Haller for 

 keeping off fits of the gout, for which it is said to have served the 

 Emperor Charles V. The plant is thought to drive away insects from 

 clothes and furniture, for which purpose it is often laid into drawers and 

 chests in the country. The vegetable alkali of the shops has been 

 usually obtained from this herb, and called Salt of Wormwood, though 

 retaining none of its peculiar qualities. Smith. A very bitter alkali 

 called Absinthium has, however, been obtained from it. Wormwood 

 possesses both tonic and bitter properties and has been employed with 

 advantage in intermittent dyspepsia, epilepsy and worms. Pereira. 

 Brewers are said to add the fruit to their hops to render beer more 

 heady ; rectifiers to their spirits. 



TANACETUM. 



Heads either homogamous or heterogamous ; namely florets of 

 the ray ? , in 1 row, usually 3-4-toothed. Receptacle naked, 

 convex. Involucre campanulate, imbricated. Corollas of the 

 disk 4-5-toothed. Achaenium sessile, angular, smooth, with a 

 large epigynous disk. Pappus either 0, or membranous, coronet- 

 shaped, minute ; either entire or equally toothed, or unequal, 

 being more evident on one side than the other. DC. 



946. T. vulgare Linn. sp. pi. 1184. Eng. Bot. t. 1229. 

 Woodv. t. 115. Smith Eng. El, iii. 405. DC. prodr. vi. 128. 

 Roadsides all over Europe and the Crimea. (Tansy.) 



Root moderately creeping. Stems H or 2 feet high, erect, rather 

 angular, leafy, solid, unbranched, smooth. Leaves doubly and deeply 

 pinnatifid, and sharply cut, dark green, smooth. Flower-heads numerous, 

 of a golden yellow, terminal, densely corymbose, the marginal florets 

 scarcely apparent, and often wanting. Achaenia with a quadrangular 

 entire crown. — Every part is very bitter, with a strong, but not un- 

 pleasant, scent. The qualities are esteemed of a tonic and cordial 

 nature, ' expelling intestinal worms, and strengthening the digestive 



464 



