406 MEDICAL BOTANY. 



2. A. abrotanum, Linn. — Shrubby, erect ; upper leaves setaceous, pinnatifid ; lower ones 

 bipinnately divided ; stem much branched. 



Linn., Sp. PI. 1185; Blackwell, Herb. 555; Stephenson and Churchill, 

 i. 58 ; De Candolle, Prod. vi. 108. 



Common Na me.— Southern Wood. 



Foreign Names. — Citronelle, Fr. ; Abrotano, It. ; Stabwurze, Ger. 



A perennial shrub, native of the southern parts of Europe, Syria, and China ; 

 it is cultivated in most gardens on account of its odour, which is grateful to 

 most persons. Its medical properties are the same as those of Wormwood, 

 but its taste is more nauseous. It is now seldom used, but in the days of old 

 Gerarde, it was highly extolled in a variety of diseases, and was considered as 

 a potent alexipharmic. 



3. A. santonica, Linn. — Stem leaves pinnate, linear, multifid, smooth. Branches un- 

 divided. Flowers secund, reflexed. Heads with five florets. 



Linn., Sp. PI. 1187 ; Woodville, t. 123; Stephenson and Churchill, i. 58. 



Common Names. — Tartarian Southern wood ; Worm seed. 



Foreign Names. — Sementine, Fr. ; Santonico, It. 



This species is a native of Tartary and Persia. It much resembles the 

 common wormwood in its properties. The seeds, with those of the A. Judiaca, 

 were at one time much employed under the name of Semen contra, as an 

 anthelmintic, but are superseded by articles of more efficiency. 



A number of other species have, at different times, been employed as reme- 

 dial agents, among which may be noticed the A. vulgaris, or Mugwort, which 

 is much used in some parts of Europe as an emmenagogue and antihysteric, 

 and has been highly spoken of by some practitioners in Germany, in the treat- 

 ment of epilepsy ; it also enjoys much reputation in China, where it is called 

 Y-trao, or the Doctor's plant. It is one of the species employed in the prepara- 

 tion of Moxa, which, however, Dr. Lindley is of opinion, is prepared only from 

 the A. moxa, and A. chinensis, but most other writers state that it is made 

 from several of the species. Another of these plants, the A. dractmculus, or 

 Tarragon, is cultivated in gardens, and used as a condiment, and for flavour- 

 ing vinegar, mustard, &c. From A. mutellina, and A. spicata, the bitter 

 aromatic liqueur, called Creme d ' absinthe, is principally made. The leaves 

 of A. maderaspatana are esteemed, in India, a valuable stomachic medicine, 

 and are also used in anodyne and antiseptic fomentations (Ainslie, i. 481). 

 A. indica, is considered to possess deobstruent and antispasmodic virtues, and 

 is prescribed in infusion and electuary, in cases of obstructed menses and 

 hysteria {ibid. ii. 195). The flower-heads of several constitute the vermifuge 

 called Semen contra ; these are A. sieberi, lercheana, contra, and paucifloi'a. 



Tanacetum. — Linn. 



Heads discoid, homogamous, with the flowers all tubular and perfect, or heterogamous ; 

 the radical flowers pistillate, in a single series, 3 — 4-toothed. Scales of the involucre dry, 

 imbricated. Receptacle naked, convex. Achenia angled, or ribbed, glabrous, with a large 

 epigynous disk. Pappus wanting, or minute, membranous, entire, or toothed, often un- 

 equal. 



A small genus of suffruticose or herbaceous plants, with alternate, variously 

 divided leaves, and solitary or corymbose heads of yellow flowers. They 

 are generally natives of temperate and cold regions. 



T. vulgare, Linn. — Stem herbaceous, erect, smooth. Leaves smoothish, bipinnately 

 parted, the rachis and lobes incisely serrate. Flowers in a many-headed corymb ; inner 

 scales of the involucre scarious at the apex, obtuse ; pappus short, equal, five-lobed. 



