AMERICAN MEDICINAL PLANTS 



65 



WORMSEED 



Chenopodium ambrosioides anthelminticum (L.) A. Gray. (Fig. 123.) 



Synonym. — Chenopodium anthelminticum L. 



Other common names. — Chenopodium, American wormseed, Jerusalem-oak. 



Habitat and range. — Wormseed occurs in waste places from New England to 

 Florida and westward to California. 



Description. — This common weed has a much-branched stem from 2 to 3 feet 

 in height and numerous, lance-shaped leaves, the lower ones 1 to 3 inches in 

 length and the upper ones much smaller. The greenish flowers are produced 

 from July to September in closely crowded spikes mixed with leaves and are 

 followed by small, green, roundish fruits each of which contains a very small 

 black seed. The entire plant has a strong, disagreeable odor due to the volatile 

 oil which is present. 



Part used. — The fruit, collected when ripe, and the volatile oil distilled from 

 the fruit or from the entire plant. Wormseed is grown commercially mainly 

 in central Maryland for the production of the oil. 14 In limited demand only. 



Figure 123. — Wormseed {Chenopodium ambro- 

 sioides anthelminticum) 



Figure 124. — Wormwood (Artemisia 

 absinthium) 



WORMWOOD 



Artemisia absinthium L. (Fig. 124.) 



Other common names. — Absinthium, absinth, madderwort, mingwort, old 

 woman, warmot. 



Habitat and range. — Wormwood, naturalized from Europe and mostly escaped 

 from gardens in this country, is found in waste places and along roadsides from 

 Newfoundland to New York and westward. It is cultivated in some localities, 

 especially in Michigan and Indiana, for the production of the volatile oil 14 which 

 it contains. 



Description. — This shrubby, aromatic, much-branched plant grows from 2 to 4 

 feet in height. The growing shoots are silvery white with fine silky hairs; and 

 the grayish-green leaves, which are from 2 to 5 inches long, are divided into small 

 leaflets. The flower clusters, appearing from July to October, consist of numerous 

 small, insignificant, drooping, yellow heads. The plant has an aromatic odor 

 and an exceedingly bitter taste. 



Part used. — The leaves and tops, which should be collected when the plant is 

 in flower. In limited demand only. 



M Sievers, A. F. Op. cit. (See footnote 4.) 



