SOUTHERNWOOD. 305 



or disk hermaphrodite ; the corolla is very small and tubular ; 

 the filaments capillary and short, with united anthers, through 

 which in the hermaphrodite flowers, passes the style tipped 

 with a bifid reflexed stigma. The fruit (called seed) is a 

 small dry pericarp, naked and solitary, destitute of pappus. 

 Plate 41, fig. 3, (a) flowering top ; (6) floret magnified. 



Southernwood is a native of Italy, France, and Spain, also 

 of Syria and Natolia, growing iri open mountainous situations. 

 It is frequently cultivated in gardens, and endures our severest 

 winters. It flowers in July, but it seldom produces flowers or 

 seeds in this country. 



The origin of the generic name has been already explained. 

 The specific name is derived from a^o-rovo*, a plant mentioned 

 by Dioscorides, Theophrastus, and Galen, supposed to refer to 

 our Southernwood, but of which they have given no description. 

 Southernwood is the Abrotanum mas of the old writers, while 

 their Abrotanum foemina is the modern Santolina Chamce- 

 Cyparissus, or Lavender Cotton. To accord with the Greek 

 term, it should be Abrotonum, not Abrotanum*. 



Southernwood is said to be obnoxious to various insects, and is 

 put into wardrobes to drive away moths; hence one of the French 

 names, Garde-robe. The odour of the plant was formerly re- 

 puted to drive away serpents, and its virtues in this respect are 

 commemorated by Lucanf. The branches are said to dye wool 

 of a yellow colour. 



Qualities. — The leaves and tops have a strong, fragrant, to 

 most persons, agreeable odour J, and a nauseous, penetrating, 

 bitterish warm taste. An infusion or tea made with it is bitter 

 and aromatic, but the decoctions are very nauseous. The in- ' 

 fusion has a brownish yellow colour, and is rendered opaque 

 and greenish black by sulphate of iron. The fresh leaves and 

 tops distilled with water yield a small portion (about ^^th) of 

 yellow volatile oil, to which the odour of the plant is attribut- 

 able. Tinctures of the leaves made with rectified spirit are of a 

 deep green colour, and appear to contain more of the aromatic 

 principle than the aqueous infusion of the plant. 



* Horace mentions the Abrotonum in his Epist. lib. ii. v. 114. 



•f See Howe's Lucan, Book ix. 



$ Bergius adds u somewhat intoxicating " (svbtemulentansj. 



voi. ii. y 



