286 COMPOSITE. © 
mination of a disease ; a bunch of the leaves is surreptitiously 4 
placed under the sick person’s pillow, if, after this he sleeps, he 
will soon get well; if not, he will die, (De Gubernatis.) 
A. vulgaris is probably one of the kinds of Afsantin 
(a¥ivdiov) described by Mahometan physicians, but owing tothe — 
want of a sufficient description of these drugs, it is impossible — 
to identify it. Dr. Wight (JIl.. %, 92,) notices its use in 4 
nervous and spasmodic affections, and Dr. J. L. Stewart speaks _ 
of an infusion as a good mild stomachic tonic. ; 
Artemisia Sieversiana, Willd.; is one of the kinds of — 
- Afsantin sold in Indian bazars. It is imported from Persia, and 
has for many years been cultivated at Bandora, in the neigh- — 
bourhood of Bombay, for the sakeofthefresh herb, whichisalways 
obtainable in the market, and is much valued by the natives. 
The cultivation appears to have been in the hands of a few 
Christian families for several generations; they also cultivate 
Sweet Marjoram. The two plants are called Azarona and 
Mazarona by the native Christians, and were no doubt intro- : 
duced into the country by the Portuguese. Medicinally it is 
esteemed as a tonic, deobstruent, febrifuge, and anthelmintic, 
and it is applied externally as a discutient and antiseptic. 
hakims prescribe it in hypochondriasis, jaundice, dropsy, gout, 
scurvy, d&c. ; also as an emmonagogue, and in hysterical affec- 
tions. 
Description.—A vulgaris is erect, suffruticose ; leaves 
ashy and tomentose beneath, lower pinnatifid, upper trifid, 
uppermost undivided or with lanceolate lobes ; lobes of the lower 
leaves toothed or cut; heads of flowers racemose-panicled, 
ovate; panicle leafy, spreading, partial racemes pendulous 
before flowering, young involucre a little tomentose, at length 
glabrous; exterior scales foliaceons, acute, interior membrana- 
ceous, obtuge ; corol naked. (Rozb, Fl. Ind. dit., 419.) 
A. Siteversiana is annual or biennial, hoary-pubescent, stem 
erect, angled and ribbed, simple or paniculately branched above; 
leaves mostly petioled, broadly ovate, 2-pinnatisect, segments 
obtuse and obscurely lobed, hoary on both surfaces, heads } to 
