i88 



VI.OWl.US Ol' THI'. Sl'.A-COAST 



cultivati-d i)l;int, to 2200 W. in Xorlhunilxrlaml. In X. and W. Scot- 

 land it is rare-, and it is doubtfully nati\i: in Ireland. 



Absinth is to all intc-nts and ])urposcs nati\(; only alon^- the sca- 

 foast, as Watson rc-niarks, but it L;ro\\s inland in a \aricly of places, 

 haviiiiT bcrn used for medicinal and other piir[)oscs. So it is iound 

 on waste L;rounil, and in gardens and similar places where it is 

 evident lliai man has planted it. 



This is a tall, haiulscaiie, 

 branched plant with l)i- or iri- 

 [)innatifid leaves, i.e. with lubes 

 divided nearly to the l)ase, and 

 narrow linear - acute segments, 

 with both sides of the rather 

 broadly o\al lea\"es silk\- and 

 downy, white on both sides. The 

 tlowerheads are xcllow, and 

 arran;4ed in hemispherical droo[)- 

 ing' heads. Only the oLiter florets, 

 which are small, produce fruit. 

 The receptacle is softly downy, 

 with the outer phyllaries or w horl 

 of leaflike organs linear and silky, 

 the under ones round and scarious 

 w ith a semi-transparent border. 



Absinth grows at least 18 in. 

 high, but often 3 ft. The flowers 

 are in bloom in July and Sep- 

 tember. The plant is perennial 

 and propagated by division. 



The flowers in .liiciiiisia 

 Di-at'iiiicii/iis are pollinated b\' 

 the wind, and the .same a|)plies to this jjlant. 



There is no papj)us or hair, but the fruit or achene is atlapted tor 

 dispersal by the wind, the branches being easily swayed to and fro. 

 Absinth is a sanil-loving plant growing" in sand soil. 

 A fungus, Piiccinia tanaceti, is found on the leaves. 

 A beetle, Mordcllistaria p^tsilla, several moths. Wormwood Moth 

 {Cnciillia Absynthii), Ling Pug i^Eupithccia iiiiinitata'). Bordered Lime 

 Speck [E. sitcccntiiriata). Wormwood Pug (/:'. absynthiata). Boiys 

 stictualis, Halonota ba'iiclla, and the (iround Lackey {Clisiocauipa cas- 

 irotsis), Grapliolithatciunitcraiia, H. pipillaua. Ringed Carpet {Boaniiia 



Absinth (.I/Vi- 



rhnto. \V. M. .Maye 



Absiulliium, L.) 



