Asteraceae
Artemisia

Artemisia vulgaris L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 848 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Temp. Eurasia to Indo-China, N. Africa. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome. It is used as a poison and a medicine, has social uses and for food.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
ajenjo, ajenjo rucio, ajenjol, altamisa, altamisa negra, altamisa pastusa, artemisa
[UNAL]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 450–1690 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Cauca, Meta, Nariño, Quindío, Risaralda.
Habit
Herb.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Adventicia en Colombia; Alt. 450 - 1690 m.; Andes, Valle del Magdalena.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. & Hind, D. J. N. (Eds). (2019). Flora of Iraq, Volume 6: Compositae.Kew Publishing

Morphology General Habit
Large shrub 50–80 cm tall, with a thick woody rootstock
Morphology Stem
Stems many, reddish brown, erect to ascending, pubescent to glabrescent
Morphology Leaves
Leaves  grey  arachnoid  tomentose  on  the lower surface, sparsely arachnoid pubescent above Basal leaves shortly petiolate, leaf blade broadly ovate in outline, 5–12 × 3–6 cm, 1–2-pinnatisect, with 3–4 pairs of segments; lobes linear-elliptic, acute; middle stem leaves ± sessile, leaf blade pinnatisect with 2–3 pairs of segments; uppermost leaves entire, lanceolate, acute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence forming a lax, conical panicle
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum
Capitula 3–4 mm, shortly pedunculate, erect or ± nodding; involucre 4-seriate; phyllaries densely arachnoid pubescent, all with broad scarious margins; outer phyllaries ovate, midrib green; inner elliptic-oblong, scarious
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Receptacle discoid, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Florets yellow; ray florets female, 5–10, corolla 2-toothed, glandular; disc florets bisexual, 5–20, corolla 5-toothed, glandular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes ± 1 mm, ovoid.
Ecology
Mountains slopes, by streams in gorge; only 2 collections from Iraq; rare; alt. ± 1200 m(?);
Phenology
flowering & fruiting: August.
Distribution
N Africa; Europe, Caucasus, Turkey; Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, NW India; Siberia, Mongolia, China; introduced and naturalised in N America.
[FIQ]

Uses

Use Food
Used for food.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
Use Social
Social uses.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0