40G CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



WORMWOOD.— ARTEM1SI A. 



Natural order, Composite JSTucamenfacea. A 



genus of the Syngenesia Polygamia Super- 

 fliia class. 



The generic name of this plant is said to 

 have been conferred by Queen Artemisia, a 

 Carian princess, who adopted the plant, and 

 changed the appellation from Varthenis, to 

 that of her own name.* 



" Some," says Pliny, " attribute the name 

 of this herb to Diana, who in Greek bore the 

 title of Artemis Ilithya, as the ancients be- 

 lieved that this goddess (the moon) pre- 

 sided over the diseases of women, which they 

 thought could not be cured without this herb.'' 



The Pagan priests, according to Apuleius*f , 

 called it Bubasteocordium, that is, the heart 

 of Bubastus, which was a town in Egypt, in 

 which the worship of Diana, and of dogs 

 greatly prevailed. Antonius Musa tells us, 



* Plin. book xxv. c. 7. f Herb. c. 10. 



