Artemisia subg. Absinthium

(Miller) Lessing

Syn. Gen. Compos., 264. 1832.

Basionym: Undefined subg. Absinthium Miller Gard. Dict. Abr. ed. 4, vol. 1. 1754
Synonyms: Artemisia subsect. Absinthium (Miller) Darijma
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 19. Treatment on page 518. Mentioned on page 504.

Perennials; fibrous rooted, caudices woody, rhizomes absent. Stems not wandlike. Leaves deciduous or persistent, basal and/or cauline (petiolate or sessile, not in fascicles). Heads disciform. Receptacles epaleate, villous (hairs relatively long). Florets: peripheral 6–27 pistillate and fertile; central 15–100 bisexual and fertile; corollas (pale yellow) funnelform.

Distribution

Temperate regions, North America, South America, Eurasia.

Discussion

Species ca. 40 (5 in the flora).

Key

1 Plants 10–40 or 40–60(–100) cm; leaves pinnately lobed (basal 2–3-pinnatifid) or 1–2-ternately lobed > 2
1 Plants 5–50 cm; leaves entire or 1–3-pinnately lobed > 3
2 Leaves pinnately lobed (basal 2–3-pinnatifid, lobes obovate) Artemisia absinthium
2 Leaves 1–2-ternately lobed (lobes filiform, to 0.5 mm wide) Artemisia frigida
3 Involucres 3–5 mm diam Artemisia frigida
3 Involucres 4–8 mm diam > 4
4 Leaves bright green, faces glabrous or sparsely hairy; phyllary margins light green. Artemisia rupestris
4 Leaves gray-green, faces canescent to villous; phyllary margins black to brown > 5
5 Heads borne singly or (2–5) in paniculiform to racemiform arrays; corolla lobes glabrous Artemisia pattersonii
5 Heads (5–22) in spiciform arrays; corolla lobes hairy Artemisia scopulorum