COMPOSITE FAMILY 



serrate; the lower segments of the leaves often smaller 

 than the others. 



THE FLOWER HEADS: commonly numerous, very small, 

 rather short-stemmed; the involucre hemispheric; its 

 bracts oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or the outer acute; the 

 variety crispum has the leaf segments more incised and 

 crisped than the type. 



THE FRUIT: achenes; the pappus consisting of bristles. 



This is a striking plant, with robust stem and very 

 finely divided dull green leaves and bright yellow button- 

 like heads of flowers. 



It is interesting to know that the variety crispum, which 

 is the more rare form on the mainland, is the more abun- 

 dant in Nantucket. 



As the name "crispum" implies, the leaves are slightly 

 crisp. They have a strong, pungent odour, due to a vol- 

 atile oil. This oil, mixed with that distilled from Flea- 

 bane and Pennyroyal and diluted with alcohol, makes a 

 good "mosquito dope." 



COMPOSITE COMPOSITE FAMILY 



Artemisia caudata, Michx. 



Green-yellow Wormwood, 



Mug wort. 

 July-October 



Artemisia: ancient name of the Mugwort, in honour of 



Artemisia, wife of Mausolus. 

 Caudata: Latin, meaning with a tail. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: dry, sandy soil of the Commons. 



THE PLANT: nearly erect, two feet to three feet high, at 

 length paniculately branched ; the branches without hairs 

 or rarely with few, soft, short hairs, the stems slender; 

 very leafy, hairless, 



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