190 



^VEEDS AXD USEF.UL TLAXTS. 



Stems 2-4 feet high, somewhat branched above, often growing in clusters. Leaves 2 or 3 

 - 6 or 8 inches long, interruptedly pseudo-pinnate — the seginents pinnatifid, unequally 

 incised-serrate. Heads depressed-hemispherical ; involucre smoothish, — the outer scales 

 lanceolate, acuminate — the inner ones oblong, obtuse ; fioi-ds deep yellow, numerous and 

 densely crowded, the marginal ones trifid, obsoletelj^ radiate. Receptacle nearly flat. 



Gardens, fence-rows, way-sides, &c.: introduced. Native of Europe. jFL July -Aug, 

 Pr. September. 



Obs. This was originally introduced as a garden-plant, and generally 

 cultivated for its aromatic bitter properties, — which have rendered it a 

 prominent article in the popular Materia Medica. It has now escfrped 

 from the gardens, and is becoming naturalized — and something of a 

 weed — in many places. 



19. AETEMI'SIA, L. Wormwood. 



[Said to be so called from Aiiemis, — one of the names of Diana.] 



Heads discoid, few- or many-flowered, the marginal florets pistillate in a 

 single series, and 3-lobed, — or sometimes the heads are with the florets 

 all perfect. Scales of the involucre imbricated, mostly dry, with scari- 

 ous margins. Receptacle flattish or convex, naked or villous. Akenes 

 obovoid, with a small epigynous disk, destitute of pappus. Herbaceous 

 or fruticose—mo^ilj perennial plants. Leaves alternate, usually pinnat- 

 ifid. Heads small, racemose, or paniculately spicate. 



^ Receptacle naked ; the central or disk-jiorets sterile. 



1. A. Dracun'culus, L. Herbaceous, green and glabrous ; stem erect, 

 branching ; radical leaves trifid at apex, — stem-leaves linear-lanceolate, 

 sub-dentate or entire ; heads subgiobose, racemose-paniculate 



Little Dragon Artemisia. Tarragon. 



Fr. Estragon. Germ. Esdragon. Span. Estragon. 



Root perennial. Stem 2-3 feet high. Leaves 1 - 2 or 3 inches long, mostly entire sessile, 

 narrowed at each end, those on the branches smaller. Heads small. Florets yellowish. 

 Gardens : cultivated. Native of Russia and Siberia. Fl. August. Fr. September. 



Obs. This species is sometimes cultivated in the kitchen gardens of 

 the curious, for the sake of its aromatic herbage. It is said to impart 

 a fine flavor to vinegar by steeping a bunch of the green herb in that 

 liquid. 



^ Receptacle hairy ; the jlorets all fertile. 



2. A. Absin'thium, L. Silky-canescent ; stem suffruticose, angular- 

 sulcate, paniculately branched above ; leaves bipinnatifid,— the seg- 

 ments lanceolate, often incised ; heads hemispherical, racemose-panicu- 

 late, nodding. 



Worm-wood. 



Fr. L' Absinthe. Germ. Der Wermuth. Span. Axenjo. 



Plant hoary with a short and rather dense silky pubescence. Root perennial. Stem^ 2- 

 4 feet high, clustered or numerous from the root. Leaves 1 - 2 or 3 inches long, petiolate, 

 xaultifld or irregularly bipinnatifid, — ^the principal sesjaents often trifid and cuneate al 



