Flora Medica

ASTERACE.E.Chinese prepare their Moxa. This substance, employed as a convenientmeans of applying the actual cautery, is, however, obtainedfrom many other plants.945. A. Absinthium Linn. sp. pi 1188. Eng. Bot. t. 1230.Woodv. t. 120. Smith Eng. Fl iii. 408. DC. prodr. vi. 125.Absinthium vulgare Lam. fl. fr. 45. Europe in variousparts, the Crimea, Siberia, Barbary, and Newfoundland. (Wormwood.)Root woody, branched at the crown, with numerous fibres below.Whole herb covered with close silky hoariness, intensely bitter, to aproverb, with a peculiar, strong, aromatic, not disagreeable odour.Stems numerous, bushy, about a foot high, furrowed, leafy. Leavesalternate, doubly pinnatifid, with broadish, blunted, entire segments,rather greener on the upper side ;lower ones on long footstalks ; upperon shorter, broader, somewhat winged ones. Flower heads on aggregateleafy clusters, stalked, drooping, hemispherical, of numerous, paleyellow,or buff, florets. Styles very deeply cloven. Receptacle convex,clothed with fine upright hairs. Common Wormwood is a powerfulbitter, much extolled as a stomachic, and recommended by Haller forkeeping off fits of the gout, for which it is said to have served theEmperor Charles V. The plant is thought to drive away insects fromclothes and furniture, for which purpose it is often laid into drawers andchests in the country. The vegetable alkali of the shops has beenusually obtained from this herb, and called Salt of Wormwood, thoughretaining none of its peculiar qualities. Smith. A very bitter alkalicalled Absinthium has, however, been obtained from it. Wormwoodpossesses both tonic and bitter properties and has been employed withadvantage in intermittent dyspepsia, epilepsy and worms. Pereira.Brewers are said to add the fruit to their hops to render beer moreheady ;rectifiers to their spirits.TANACETUM.Heads either homogamous or heterogamous namely florets of;the ray ? ,in 1 row, usually 3-4-toothed. Receptacle naked,convex. Involucre campanulate, imbricated. Corollas of thedisk 4-5-toothed. Achaenium sessile, angular, smooth, with alarge epigynous disk. Pappus either 0, or membranous, coronetshaped,minute ; either entire or equally toothed, or unequal,being more evident on one side than the other. DC.946. T. vulgare Linn. sp. pi. 1184. Eng. Bot. t. 1229.Woodv. t. 115. Smith Eng. Fl. iii. 405. DC. prodr. vi. 128.Roadsides all over Europe and the Crimea. (Tansy.)Root moderately creeping. Stems 1 or 2 feet high, erect, ratherangular, leafy, solid, unbranched, smooth. Leaves doubly and deeplypinnatifid, and sharply cut, dark green, smooth. Flower-heads numerous,of a golden yellow, terminal, densely corymbose, the marginal floretsscarcely apparent, and often wanting. Achaenia with a quadrangularentire crown. Every part is very bitter, with a strong, but not unpleasant,scent. The qualities are esteemed of a tonic and cordialnature,* expelling intestinal worms, and strengthening the digestive464