COMPOSITAE — THISTLE FAMILY — YARROW 787 



Fig. 451a. Yarrow (.Achillea Millefolium). 1, plant with leaf and flowers. 2, A single 

 head; a, ray flowers; b, a single flower. (Charlotte M. King). 



European name. Nosebleed, was given from the fact that the early writers 

 claimed hemorrhage of the nose followed placing its leaves in the nostrils; 

 this may have been either due to its direct irritation, or the use of Achillea 

 Ptarmica, its leaves being very sharply serrate and appressed-toothed. Mille- 

 folium causes burning and raw sensations of the membranes with which it 

 comes in contact, considerable pain in the gastric and abdominal regions, with 

 diarrhoea and enuresis. An alkaloid having the same formula as achillein has 

 been isolated in A. moschata; a second alkaloid, moschatin, C^^H^^NO^ is said 

 to occur in the same plant. In Europe sometimes regarded as a forage plant. 



20. Anthemis (Mich.) L. Mayweed 

 Annual or perennial herbs with finely dissected leaves and a strong scent; 

 heads peduncled ; involucre hemispherical ; bracts imbricated in several series ; 

 ray flowers white or yellow, 2-3 toothed; pistillate and fertile; style branches 

 of the disk flowers truncate; achenes oblong angled, ribbed; pappus none or 

 short crown. There are about 60 species in the Old World. They are strong 

 scented or aromatic herbs. 



Anthemis Cotula. h. Mayweed. Dog Fennel 

 An acrid branching scented annual from 1-2 feet high; leaves thrice pin- 



