Artemisia subg. Absinthium

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).

Selected References

Besser, W. S. J. G. von. 1829. Lettre [on Artemisia including Absinthium]...au Directeur. Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 1: 219–265.

Lower Taxa

Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia frigida, Artemisia pattersonii, Artemisia rupestris, Artemisia scopulorum

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