ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Artemisia absinthium
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    ASTERALES
 FAMILY:   ASTERACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Artemisia absinthium
 AUTHORITY:  L.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    ABSINTH
    COMMON WORMWOOD
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: ARAB3
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     CULTURAL
       AGRICULTURAL FIELD
         PASTURELAND
       DEVELOPED LAND
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     NO
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   CASS            COOK            DEKALB          DUPAGE          JACKSON
   KANE            KENDALL         LAKE            MCHENRY         PEORIA
   WABASH
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-herb
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Lobed  (pinnately)
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:     Linear   Oblong
    INFLORESCENCE:   Head
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Incomplete   Regular
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Epigynous
    FRUIT:   Achene
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     Fragrant; in florescence with receptacle long-white-hairy between florets.
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Introduced-  Europe
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Rare
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 POPULATION STATUS COMMENTS:
     Garden escapee.
 
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Shrub   Forb
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     REPRODUCTION:   Sexual
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      7         MONTH END-      9
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     C02 FIXATION:  C3
     SEX:      Perfect     Unisexual   -monoecious
 
 BIOLOGIC COMMENTS:
     All florets fertile; the outer most pistillate.
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Persists for a long time in disturbed areas; waste places; along railroads.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     DISTURBANCE INDICATOR:   Mechanical
     SOIL CHEMISTRY INDICATOR:   None
     GROWTH OF SPECIES IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS:
          GRAVEL         No data entered    SAND           No data entered
          SANDY LOAM     No data entered    LOAM           No data entered
          CLAY LOAM      No data entered    CLAY           No data entered
          DENSE CLAY     No data entered    ORGANIC SOIL   No data entered
          NEUTRAL pH     No data entered    ACIDIC SOIL    No data entered
          EXTREMELY ACID No data entered    SALINE SOIL    No data entered
          SODIC SOIL     No data entered    SODIC-SALINE   No data entered
          ROCKY OUTCROPS No data entered    GENTLE SLOPES  Good
          MODERATE SLOPE Good               STEEP SLOPES   Fair
     HABITAT:   Dry
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     MAJOR POLLINATION AGENT:   Wind
 
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     ALLERGENIC:  Yes
     EDIBLE:  Yes-qualified
 
     WILD HERBS:   Medicinal
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     Used as household medicinal; used in manufacture of the liquor, absinthe;
     anthelmintic; volatile oil, in large doses produces cerebral disorders,
     convulsions, and even death.
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:
     FOOD VALUE:  No data entered
     COVER VALUE:  No data entered
 
 LIVESTOCK PALATABILITY DATA:
     CATTLE FORAGE: No data    SHEEP FORAGE:  No data    HORSE FORAGE:  No data
     GOAT FORAGE:   No data    ENERGY VALUE:  Medium     PROTEIN VALUE: Medium
     POISONOUS (LIVESTOCK):   No
 
 LIVESTOCK COMMENTS:
     May flavor milk.
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:
     WEEDINESS:   Economic
 
 
 GENERAL COMMENTS:
     May not be an economic weed in our area.
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 pp.
Agricultural Experiment Station.  1981.  Weeds of the North Central States.
     Bulletin 772.  College of Agriculture, University of Illinois at Urbana-
     Champaign, Urbana.  303 pp.
Gleason, H. A.  1952.  The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the
     northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.  3 vols.  The New York
     Botanical Garden, New York.
 
 OTHER REFERENCES:
     Pammel, L.H. 1911.  A Manual of Poisonous Plants.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Artemisia absinthium
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015