Flora Medica

ARTEMISIA.lower the pinnatifid, upper trifid, pretty smooth above, a littledownyunderneath, but not woolly and white; lobes lanceolate, somewhatincised, though generally entire. Floral leaves entire, and linear-lanceolate.Panicles terminal, with the ramifications and flower heads alldrooping. Flower heads small, roundish, numerous. Hermaphroditeflorets about 10 in the centre, 5-cleft, with the stamens concealed inthe gibbous tube. Female ones about the same number in the circumference,obliquely truncated, and so small as to be with difficulty distinguishedfrom the style. Receptacle naked, convex. Leaves slightlyaromatic and bitter. It is considered in India a powerful deobstruentand antispasmodic.941. A. Dracunculus Linn. sp. pi. 1189. Bess. drac. n. 22.DC. prodr. vi.97. Dracunculus hortensis Blackw. herb. 1. 116.All the north of Russia in Asia. (Tarragon.)A smooth, green, perennial herbaceous plant. Stems erect, branched.Radical leaves trifid at the points; the cauline lanceolate, or linearlanceolate,rather toothed or entire. Panicle spreading, Heads racemose,panic-led, globose, rather spreading. Outer involucral scalesoblong, scarious at the margin inner ; broadly elliptical, scarious at theedge. DC. Leaves and young shoots agreeably pungent and stimulating,usually employed as a pickle, or for giving a pleasant flavour tovinegar.942. A. Sieberi Bess, suppl. p. 80. DC. prodr. vi. 101A. glomerata Sieb. in iii.Spreng. syst.4-89. not of Ledebour.Palestine.Leaves rigid, smooth ; the cauline half-amplexicaul, 3-5-parted, themiddle lobe pinnatifid, the lateral and their segments trifid and linear.Panicles much spreading, with ascending branches. Heads few-flowered,in scattered spiked panicles, ellipsoidal and tuberculated. DC, Accordingto Batka this produces the substance called Semen-contra, Semencine,or Sarbotine, a strong aromatic bitter drug imported from Aleppoand Barbary as a vermifuge. It is employed in powder, in aqueousinfusion or in syrup. Its most active principle is obtained by distillationin the form of a yellow volatile oil, which is lighter than water, and hasa strong penetrating odour.943. A. Abrotanum Linn. sp. 1185. Bess. abr. n. 14. DC.prodr. vi. 108. (Blackw. herb. t. 555.)Hills of the Southof Europe. (Southernwood.)An erect shrub. The lower leaves bipinnate, the upper simply pinnate;their lobes and the floral leaves long and capillary. Heads invirgate panicles, hemispherical, nodding. Involucral scales whitish,hoary, ovate-lanceolate. Corollas naked. A powerful anthelmintic.944. A. Moxa DC. prodr. vi. 121. Absinthium MoxaBesser. abr. n. 3 China. (Moxaweed.)A hoary, branched, compact shrub, about 2 feet high. Leaves hoary,becoming naked, bipinnated, with linear-lanceolate obtuse segments.Heads middle sized, globose, cernuous in panicled racemes. Involucralscales membranous, and scarious at the end. Corollas smooth. DC.It is from the woolly leaves of this, and not A. Chinensis, that the463