Common name: Wormwood, Absinthe
Artemisia absinthium L. APNI* Description: Herbaceous perennial, dying back to woody stem bases annually, c. 0.8–1 m high; stems erect, ± tomentose becoming glabrous below, ribbed, much-branched toward base.
Leaves 2- or 3-pinnatisect, lower leaves up to 30 cm long and 20 cm wide; ultimate segments oblong-ovate, 5–10 (18) x 2–4 (6) mm, obtuse; upper and lower surfaces tomentose; only central vein evident; upper leaves becoming sessile, 1-pinnatisect, finally reduced to <1 cm long and unlobed.
Inflorescence paniculate, capitula 2–4 (5) mm diam.; outer involucral bracts herbaceous or with membranous tip, tomentose; inner bracts with broad scarious margins and apex, sparsely hairy; receptacle hairy. Florets many, glabrous, dull yellow.
Achenes 0.8–1.3 mm long, smooth; pappus absent.
Flowering: summer–autumn.
Distribution and occurrence: ST; reported from a suburb of Canberra in road reserve. Native to temperate Eurasia, North Africa. Grows in disturbed areas.
NSW subdivisions: *ST
Aromatic. Widely cultivated for flavouring.
Text by E. A. Brown Taxon concept: Flora of New Zealand 4, Flora Europaea 4.
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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