2. Indian Wormseed

Indian Wormseed. Europe. Only half size of santonica, hairy and more yellow. The American wormseed are often substituted for santonica, but their resemblance, on close inspection, is very slight.

Allied Plants:

1. Artemisia Absin'Thium, Absinthium, Wormwood

Artemisia Absin'Thium, Absinthium, Wormwood. The dried'leaves and flowering tops, official 1840-1900; Europe, N. Asia, N. Africa. Perennial herb; stem .6-1 M. (2-3°) high. Leaves, 2.5-7.5 Cm. (1-3') long, hoary, grayish-green; flowers, in heads, racemose, subglobose, with involucre, receptacle convex, hairy, florets yellow; fruit achene, obovoid without pappus; odor aromatic; taste very bitter; contains volatile oil 1 p. c, absinthin, anabsinthin, tannin, resin, absinthic (succinic)

Fig. 427. - Artemisia Absinthium.

acid, salts, ash 7 p. c. Tonic, stomachic, stimulant, febrifuge, anthelmintic; used for atonic dyspepsia, lumbricoid worms; oil in form of absinthe liqueur (oil + anise oil + alcohol) as a narcotic, stimulant in cerebral exhaustion, alone locally as an anaesthetic for rheumatism, neuralgia. Dose, gr. 15-60 (1-4 Gm.); infusion, 5 p. c, ℥j-2 (30-60 Ml. (Cc.)); tincture (diluted alcohol), 20 p. c, 3j-2 (4-8 Ml. (Cc.)).

2. A. Abrot'anum, Southern-wood, Old Man. - Asia, Europe; hairy, segments of the pinnatifid leaves capillaceous, lemon odor. A. vulga'ris, Mugwort, Africa, Europe, spontaneous in United States; stem purple; epilepsy, amenorrhoea. A. gnaphalo'des (A. Ludovicia'na var. gna-phalodes), Western Mugwort, Mich. to Oregon; febrifuge. A. abyssin'ica, Abyssinia; has woolly involucre, whitish florets; aromatic odor.

3. Tussila'go Far'fara, Coltsfoot, Coughwort, Europe, N. Asia, nat. in N. United States. - Low succulent perennial, creeping annulate rhizome, scaly scapes in spring, bearing a single head; flowers yellow. Leaves petioled, pubescent, orbicular 8-15 Cm. (3-6') long and broad, cordate, angulately lobed, dentate, red-brown teeth, palmately 5-9-veined; odor distinct, taste mucilaginous, herbaceous, bitter; contains glucoside (bitter), resin, tannin, volatile oil, gum, wax, caoutchouc, ash 20 p. c. Demulcent, toxic; bronchitis, pulmonary affections, coughs. Dose, gr. 30-60 (1-2 Gm.); decoction, infusion, 5 p. c. ℥ss-1 (15-30 Ml. (Cc.)); expressed juice; dried root as well as leaves smoked for cough; popular domestic remedy.