Artemisia |
Inflorescence
of the absinthium (Artemisia absinthium)
The
Roman wormwood (Artemisia
pontica) is sometimes grown
as an ornamental plant.
Inflorescences of the mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
The genus occurs mainly in Eurasia and North America, includes about 400 species and consists of annual to persistent, often aromatic fragrant herbs or shrubs. The stems are mostly upright, often branched and bears alternate leaves that are divided or composite, fingered or simple, wedge-shaped or spatulate, ovate to lance-shaped. They are often stalked at the base of the plants and sessile in the upper part.
The yellow, brownish or greenish flowers heads are usually small and consist only of tubular flowers. The marginal, 2- to 4-dentate florets are arranged in one to two rows, sometimes filiform and always female, often with protruding, 2-cleft styles, while the inner florets are male or hermaphroditic and have a 5-dentate tube. The styles can be longer or shorter than the corolla tube. In the center of the head sterile flowers may occur. The 5 anthers are connected to a tube and longer than the stamens, which have 2 appendages at base.
The stalked or sessile flower heads are arranged in leafy racemes, panicles or spikes and have an egg-shaped, bell-shaped or hemispherical involucre, which consists of multi-row, herbaceous or membranous phyllaries or such with membranous margins. The receptacle is flat or domed and shows no chaffy scales.
After wind or rarely insect pollination a flat, elongated achene is formed, often with indistinct ribs and usually without or with a small pappus reduced to a rim.
| Floral formula: |
| * K0 C(5) G(2) inferior
and * K0 [C(5) A5(connate)] G(2) inferior |
Historical publications
Theophrastus (371–287 BC) reported on the Apkinthion (Artemisia absinthium), that some sheep would eat no vermouth. But those on the Black Sea would become fatter and fatter because, as some claimed, that they possessed no bile.
Dioscorides (1st century AD.) knew 3 different Abnsinthion: For the wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), he mentioned numerous recipes and medicinal benefits, it was, for example, digestive and diuretic. Taken with wine it would help against the bite of the shrew and the sea dragon. Hung in closets, the leaves would act against moths. Sea wormwood (Artemisia maritima) cooked with rice or lentils would be active against worms. Judean wormwood (Artemisia judaica) was equal to wormwood, but it was less seed-rich.
From Abrotonon he writes, that there is a male type (Artemisia arborescens, tree wormwood) and a female one (Artemisia abrotanum, southernwood). Their seeds, cooked or pulverized with water, he attributed many medicinal effects.
Furthermore Dioscorides enumerates two Artemisia species: One with many branches, with which again probably A. arborescens is meant, and a simple one (A. campestris). Both as hip bath would promote menstruation, expel the afterbirth and the embryo. Also it would help against uterine closure and urinary stones.
Pliny (about 23–79 AD.) wrote about the same as Dioscorides, but asserts that the species name is due to the wife of Maussolos. He also writes, who would carry Artemisia, was protected from bad drugs, hot sun and wild animals. Artemisia and sage, tied to the body, would let pedestrians don't get out of breath.
Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) recommended wormwood against a variety of illnesses and pain. For example, for headaches, worms in the ears, gout, toothache and paralysis. The southernwood would heal scab and mange, with old grease and wood oil it would help against gout.
Leonhart Fuchs (1501–1566) mentioned a "Staubwurtz", of which there were males (southernwood) and females (Roman wormwood). Laid the herb under the pillow, it would increase the sexual pleasure of women. Wormwood juice poured in the ink, would protect books against mouse bits.
Useful, medicinal and ornamental plants
- Artemisia abrotanum, the southernwood, is an ancient culinary herb that is cultivated today almost exclusively for decoration.
- Artemisia absinthium, the wormwood, is an ancient medicinal plant and part of absinthe. The thujone present in the plant can lead to symptoms of poisoning.
- Artemisia annua, the sweet wormwood, provides a remedy for malaria (artemisinin).
- Artemisia camphorata, the camphor wormwood, smells of cola.
- Artemisia cina, the santonica, is a highly toxic plant that has been recommended in the past against parasitic worms.
- Artemisia dracunculus, the tarragon, is a well-known culinary herb.
- Artemisia halodendron is cultivated in desert and semi-desert areas, to counteract desertification.
- Artemisia vulgaris, the mugwort, is especially used for seasoning roast goose or duck.
Meaning of the species name
- vulgaris: lat. vulgaris = common