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4. Artemisia vulgaris Linn. Sp. PI. 848. 1753. (Fig. 123).
COMPOSITAE
Artemisia indica Willd.—Artemisia dubia Wall.—Artemisia myriantha Wall.—Artemisia
paniculata Roxb.—Artemisia leptostachya DC.—Artemisia grata Wall.—Artemisia lavandulaefolia
DC.—Artemisia affinis Hassk.—Artemisia parviflora Wight
Engl. Fleabanc, Indian Wormwood, Mugwort; Sinh. Walkolondu; Tarn. Mashibatciri,
Tirunama; Hindi Dona, Gathivana, Majtari, Mastaru, Nugduna; Sans. Barha,
Barhikusum, Barhipushpa, Granthika, Granthiparna, Granthiparnaka, Guchhaka, Gutthaka,
Kakapushpa, Kukura, Nagodamani, Nilapushpa, Saraparni, Shuka, Shukabarha, Shukachhada,
Shukapuccha, Sthauneya, Sugandha, Svaramaguchhaka, Tailaparnaka, Vanyadamanaka,
Vshirnakhay.
A semi-shrubby perennial with erect stems 60—90 cm tall, virgate and slightly cottony;
leaves simple, alternate, numerous, 5—10 cm long, broadly oval in outline, very deeply
pinnatisect, the upper segment large, lower segments very small, all cut again into narrow, acute,
mucronate segments, pilose or glabrous above, densely cottony-pubescent and white beneath,
uppermost segment lanceolate and entire; flowers brownish-yellow, regular, all tubular in heads
which are solitary or 2 or 3 together, sessile or stalked in axils of leaves forming a long spicate
leafy inflorescence; involucre ovoid, bracts few, imbricate, the inner ones very obtuse,
membranous, receptacle naked, outer row of flowers female, fertile; disc flowers few and
bisexual; sepals absent, petals 5 fused, tubular or ligulate; stamens 5, inserted in the corolla-tube,
absent in female flowers, anther bases obtuse; ovary inferior, unilocular with a basal ovule,
style-branches of bisexual flowers short, truncate with a tuft of hair at the end; fruit a very small
achene without a pappus.
Illustrations. Wight, Ic. PI. Ind. Orient, pi. 1112. 1846; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med.
Plants, pi. 540. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya, drawing.
Distribution. Grows in the hilly districts of India, Ceylon, temperate Europe and Asia,
Thailand and Java. In Ceylon, it is rather common as a weed along roadsides and waste ground.
India. Nepal: Wallich 3293/4. Khasia: /. D. Hooker & T. Thomson. Assam: Simons.
Malabar, Concan, etc. Stocks, Law,tic. Ceylon. Centra! Prov., Galagedara, Thwaites CP. 1755;
Peradeniya, Bot. Gard., cultivated, F. W. de Silva 646, Aug. 1936; Hatton, Alston 927, Oct.
1927. Maldive Islands. Didi 34, 1896. China. Hainan: Tak 17467, June 1928. Japan. Yokohama,
Maximowicz, 1862. Philippine Islands. Luzon: Rizal Prov., Ahern"s Collector 3159, May—June
1905.
Composition. This plant yields a volatile oil which consists of cineol, thujone, paraffin
and an aldehyde. The roots, too, contain a volatile oil in addition to inulin, tannin and resin.
Uses. Considered as a valuable stomachic, deobstruent, antispasmodic and anthelmintic.
Externally, it is used for fomenting ulcers and certain skin diseases. The expressed juice
is applied on the head of small children to prevent convulsions. In China, it is prescribed
in decoction for haemoptysis, dysentery, menorrhagia, postpartum haemorrhage, as a wash for
ail types of wounds and ulcers and to allay griping pains of indigestion, diarrhoea, or dysentery.
Also, the expressed juice of the plant is employed as a haemostatic, for tape worm, and as a
carminative. In Persia, India and Afghanistan, a strong decoction is given as a vermifuge. In
Annam, the leaves are used for metrorrhagia, dysentery, and intestinal and urinary troubles
while in Malaya they are employed as a carminative and haemostatic.
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