ARTEMISIA. 



lower pinnatifid, the upper trifid, pretty smooth above, a little downy 

 underneath, but not woolly and white; lobes lanceolate, somewhat 

 incised, though generally entire. Floral leaves entire, and linear-lan- 

 ceolate. Panicles terminal, with the ramifications and flower heads all 

 drooping. Flower heads small, roundish, numerous. Hermaphrodite 

 florets about 10 in the centre, 5-cleft, with the stamens concealed in 

 the gibbous tube. Female ones about the same number in the circum- 

 ference, obliquely truncated, and so small as to be with difficulty dis- 

 tinguished from the style. Receptacle naked, convex. Leaves slightly 

 aromatic and bitter. It is considered in India a powerful deobstruent 

 and antispasmodic. 



941. A. Dracunculus Linn. sp. pi. 1189. Bess. drac. n. 22. 

 DC. prodr. vi.97. Dracunculus hortensis Blackw. herb. 1. 116. 

 All the north of Russia in Asia. (Tarragon.) 



A smooth, green, perennial herbaceous plant. Stems erect, branched. 

 Radical leaves trifid at the points; the cauline lanceolate, or linear- 

 lanceolate, rather toothed or entire. Panicle spreading, Heads race- 

 mose, panic-led, globose, rather spreading. Outer involucral scales 

 oblong, scarious at the margin ; inner broadly elliptical, scarious at the 

 edge. DC. Leaves and young shoots agreeably pungent and stimu- 

 lating, usually employed as a pickle, or for giving a pleasant flavour to 

 vinegar. 



942. A. Sieberi Bess, suppl. p. 80. DC. prodr. vi. 101 



A. glomerata Sieb. in Spreng. syst. iii. 4-89. not of Ledebour. 

 Palestine. 



Leaves rigid, smooth ; the cauline half-amplexicaul, 3-5-parted, the 

 middle lobe pinnatifid, the lateral and their segments trifid and linear. 

 Panicles much spreading, with ascending branches. Heads few-flowered, 

 in scattered spiked panicles, ellipsoidal and tuberculated. DC, Accord- 

 ing to Batka this produces the substance called Semen-contra, Semen- 

 cine, or Sarbotine, a strong aromatic bitter drug imported from Aleppo 

 and Barbary as a vermifuge. It is employed in powder, in aqueous 

 infusion or in syrup. Its most active principle is obtained by distillation 

 in the form of a yellow volatile oil, which is lighter than water, and has 

 a strong penetrating odour. 



943. A. Abrotanum Linn. sp. 1185. Bess. abr. n. 14. DC. 

 prodr. vi. 108. (Blackw. herb. t. 555.) Hills of the South 

 of Europe. (Southernwood.) 



An erect shrub. The lower leaves bipinnate, the upper simply pin- 

 nate; their lobes and the floral leaves long and capillary. Heads in 

 virgate panicles, hemispherical, nodding. Involucral scales whitish, 

 hoary, ovate-lanceolate. Corollas naked. A powerful anthelmintic. 



944. A. Moxa DC. prodr. vi. 121. Absinthium Moxa 

 Besser. abr. n. 3 China. (Moxaweed.) 



A hoary, branched, compact shrub, about 2 feet high. Leaves hoary, 

 becoming naked, bipinnated, with linear-lanceolate obtuse segments. 

 Heads middle sized, globose, cernuous in panicled racemes. Involucral 

 scales membranous, and scarious at the end. Corollas smooth. DC. 

 It is from the woolly leaves of this, and not A. Chinensis, that the 

 463 



