Flora Medica

ASTERACE.2E.PYRETHRUM.Head many-flowered, heterogamous. Florets of the ray in1 row, $ , ligulate, very rarely wanting ; of the disk tubular, $f ,5-toothed ; the tube usually obcompressed and 2-winged, rarelynearly round. Involucre imbricated, campanulate, with thescales scarious at the edge. Receptacle flat or convex, naked,or occasionally bracteolate when the heads are flat. Style ofthe disk with exappendiculate branches. Achaenia wingless,angular, uniform, crowned by a coronetted pappus, which isusually toothed, occasionally auriculate and as broad as theachaenium.DC.930. P. Parthenium Smith Fl. Brit. 900. Eng.Bot.1. 1231.DC.prodr.vi. 58. Matricaria Parthenium Linn, sp.pl. 1255.Woodv. t. 249. M. odorata Lam.Jl.fr.ii. 135. Common inwaste places inmany parts of Europe. (Feverfew.)Root tapering. Stem erect, branched, leafy, round, furrowed, manyflowered,about 2 feet high, or more, Leaves stalked, of a hoarygreen, once or twice pinnate, or pinnatifid ;the leaflets, or segments,inclining to ovate, decurrent, cut. Panicle corymbose, sometimescompound; the peduncles long, naked, single-flowered, swelling upwards.Flower-heads erect, about | an inch broad, with a convexyellow disk, and numerous short, broad, abrupt, 2-ribbed, white rays ;often wanting ;sometimes multiplied, and, the disk being obliterated,constituting a double flower. The achasnia are crowned with a shortmembrane. The whole plant is bitter and strong-scented, reckonedtonic, stimulating, and anti-hysteric. Smith. It was once a popularremedy in ague. Its odour is said to be peculiarly disagreeable to bees,and that these insects may be easily kept at a distance by carrying ahandful of the flower-heads. Burnett.ARTEMISIA.Heads discoidal, homogamous or heterogamous. Florets ofthe rayin 1 row, usually ? and 3-toothed, with a long bifidprotruding style of the disk 5-toothed, ; $*, or by the abortionof the ovary, neuter or $ Involucral scales . imbricated, dry,scarious at the edge. Receptacle without paleae,flattish or convex,naked or fringed with hairs. Achaenia obovate, bald, witha minute epigynous disk. DC.* #* The species of this genus are generally bitter aromatic plantsand many of them have been used medicinally besides the following :931, A. Judaica Linn.; 932, A. maritima Linn. ; 933, A. proceraWilld. ; 934-, A campestris Linn. ; 935, A. arborescens Linn. ; 936,A. glacialis Linn.; 937, A. spicata Jacg.; 938, A. vallesiaca All.; and939, A. rupestris Linn, have been particularly spoken of.940. A. indica Willd. iii. 1846. Bess. abr. n. 34. Roxb. fi.ind. iii. 419. DC. prodr. vi. 114. Nepal, China, Japan.Stems several, shrubby, erect, sometimes biennial, branched, striated,the tender parts villousj from 4 to 8 feet high. Leaves alternate, the462