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Native Plant Trust: Go Botany Discover thousands of New England plants

Artemisia campestris — field wormwood

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Facts

There are three subspecies of field wormwood in New England. One (Artemisia campestris subspecies caudata) is native and common, usually having one reproductive stem. The second (A. campestris subspecies canadensis) is native and rare. It has a branching stem and is found on cliffs and ledges in northern Maine and Vermont. The third (A. campestris subspecies campestris) is non-native and found in Massachusetts and Connecticut. It has branching stems, but smaller flower heads than subspecies canadensis.

Habitat

Cliffs, balds, or ledges, coastal beaches (sea beaches), dunes, ridges or ledges, shores of rivers or lakes, talus and rocky slopes

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf type
leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
Leaf arrangement
  • alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
  • basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
Leaf blade edges
  • the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
  • the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
Flower type in flower heads
the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
Ray flower color
yellow
Tuft or plume on fruit
NA
Spines on plant
the plant has no spines
Leaf blade length
40–120 mm
Flower head width
2–7 mm
Disk flower number
  • 11-20
  • 21-50
  • 6-10
Show all characteristics

  • Flowers

    Bract color
    the bracts are not colored or tinged with pink, red or purple
    Bract cycle number
    there are three or more cycles of bracts
    Bract outer side hair type
    • the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces, with curled, tangled, matted, or woolly hairs
    • the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
    Bract outer side hairs
    • the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
    • the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces
    Bract separation
    the bracts appear completely unconnected to one another on all flower heads
    Bract shape
    • the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
    • the main bracts are ovate (egg-shaped)
    Bract spines
    the bracts have no spines
    Bract texture
    the bracts appear thin, flexible and nearly translucent
    Bract tip color
    the tips are a different color from the center of the bract
    Bracts
    there are at least two distinct forms of bracts in different cycles
    Disk flower color
    yellow
    Disk flower lobe number
    5
    Disk flower number
    • 11-20
    • 21-50
    • 6-10
    Disk flower reproductive parts
    the disk flower has either only pollen- or only seed-producing parts
    Disk flower shape
    the disk flower looks different from the choices given
    Flower head number
    each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
    Flower head outer flowers
    at the outer edge of the flower head, the flowers have no enlarged lobe or strap, and are of similar size as those in the center of the disk
    Flower head platform
    the base has no bristles or papery scales
    Flower head platform surface
    NA
    Flower head position
    some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
    Flower head profile
    • the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
    • the disk is rounded across the top
    Flower head width
    2–7 mm
    Flower type in flower heads
    the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
    Height of flower head base
    2–6 mm
    Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
    NA
    Inflorescence shape
    the inflorescence is not flat-topped but appears rounded, with some flower heads distinctly higher than others
    Inflorescence stem
    • hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
    • the stem of the inflorescence is not hairy
    Number of bracts at flower head base
    2–20
    Ovary attachment
    the ovary is attached at or near the base
    Ovary cross-section
    the ovary is compressed (flattened)
    Ovary hair type
    the ovary has no hairs on it
    Ovary hairs
    the ovary has no hairs on it
    Ovary profile
    • in profile, the ovary is lanceolate (widest below the middle, tapering to both ends)
    • in profile, the ovary is oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
    Ray flower color
    yellow
    Ray flower reproductive parts
    the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
    Ray flowers
    • 1-5
    • 11-15
    • 16-25
    • 6-10
    Ray length
    0 mm
    Reproductive system
    the flowers on the plant may have either carpels or stamens, but always in separate flowers
    Scale tip
    NA
    Style branch number
    the style has one branch
    Style branches
    the style branch is wider at the tip and has a flattened end, or the style branches are wider at the tips and have flattened ends
    Width of flower head base
    1.8–5 mm

  • Fruits or seeds

    Number of pappus parts
    0
    Ovary length in developed fruit
    0.8–1 mm
    Seed hair tuft bases
    NA
    Seed hair tuft color
    NA
    Seed hair tuft details
    NA
    Seed hair tuft length
    0 mm
    Seed hair tuft tips
    NA
    Seed hairs uniform
    NA
    Seed tuft scale number
    0
    Seed tuft type
    there is no pappus on the ovary
    Top of disk flower ovary
    NA
    Tuft or plume on fruit
    NA

  • Glands or sap

    Ovary glands
    • there are glands on the ovary surface
    • there are no visible glands on the ovary
    Sap
    the sap is clear and watery

  • Growth form

    Growth form
    the plant has one or more free-standing stems
    Plant lifespan
    the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
    Spines on plant
    the plant has no spines
    Underground organs
    • the plant has a caudex (the root mass is firm and hardened at the top)
    • there is a thickened taproot on the plant

  • Leaves

    Hairs on underside of leaf blade
    the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
    Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
    the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
    Leaf arrangement
    • alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
    • basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
    Leaf blade base
    • the leaf has a distinct petiole
    • the leaf has no petiole
    Leaf blade base shape
    the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
    Leaf blade bloom
    the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
    Leaf blade edges
    • the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
    • the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
    Leaf blade hairs
    the leaf blade has tangled or woolly-looking hairs
    Leaf blade length
    40–120 mm
    Leaf blade shape
    • the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
    • the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
    Leaf blade surface colors
    there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
    Leaf blade tip
    the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
    Leaf blade width
    5–15 mm
    Leaf disposition
    • the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
    • the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves
    Leaf spines
    there are no spines on the leaf edges
    Leaf stalk
    • the leaves have leaf stalks
    • the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
    Leaf tip extension
    NA
    Leaf tufts in axils
    there are no clusters of smaller leaves
    Leaf type
    leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
    Specific leaf type
    • the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis, and each lobe itself has rows of lobes on each side of the lobe's central axis
    • the leaf has lobes that themselves have lobes, and these secondary lobes also have lobes; there may be more than three levels of lobes

  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • cliffs, balds, or ledges
    • dunes
    • ridges or ledges
    • sea beaches
    • shores of rivers or lakes
    • talus or rocky slopes

  • Scent

    Plant odor
    the plant does not have much of an odor

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Flowering stem cross-section
    the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
    Leaves on stem
    there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
    Stem internode hair direction
    the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
    Stem internode hair type
    • at least some of the hairs on the stem are tangled, matted or woolly
    • the stem has no hairs between the nodes
    Stem internode hairs
    • the stem has hairs between the nodes
    • the stem has no hairs between the nodes

Wetland status

Occurs only in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: UPL)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Maine
fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)

ssp. canadensis

Maine
historical (S-rank: SH), potentially extirpated (code: PE)
Vermont
extremely rare (S-rank: S1)

ssp. caudata

Maine
extremely rare to rare (S-rank: S1S2), special concern (code: SC)
Massachusetts
fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
New Hampshire
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
Rhode Island
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), concern (code: C)
Vermont
extremely rare (S-rank: S1)

Subspecies and varieties

Subspecies caudata is native and known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Subspecies canadensis is native, of conservation concern, and known from ME, VT. Subspecies campestris is non-native and known from CT, MA. Reports of ssp. campestris in New England are based on Hall and Clements (1923). Some of the collections were referred to this subspecies through examination of above-ground collections. It may be that these collections are merely forms 
of ssp. caudata with open-branched capitulescences.

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

5.  Artemisia campestris L. nC

Field wormwood.  5a. Artemisia campestris L. var. caudata (Michx.) Palmer & Steyermark; 
 A. caudata Michx.; A. caudata Michx. var. calvens Lunell; Oligosporus campestris (L.) Cass. ssp. caudatus (Michx.) W.A. Weber; O. caudatus Poljakov;  5b. Artemisia campestris L. var. canadensis (Michx.) Welsh; A. canadensis Michx.;  5c. Oligosporus campestris (L.) Cass. • CT, MA, ME, nh, ri, VT. Beaches, dunes, sandy areas on the coastal plain, cliffs, talus, river shore ledges, ridges.

1a.  Plants biennial from a taproot, usually with a solitary stem; disk corollas 1.4–2 (–2.2) mm long; native plants of coastal plain sand and gravel (rarely of inland cliffs and outcrops) 
 … 5a. A. campestris ssp. caudata (Michx.) Hall & Clements

1b.  Plants perennial from a branching caudex, usually with multiple reproductive stems; disk corollas (1.8–) 2–3 mm long; native plants of rocky substrate or introduced plants of the Atlantic coastal plain

2a.  Capitula with (21–) 23–45 flowers; involucre 3.5–5 mm wide; native plants of northern New England cliffs, talus, and river shore ledges 
 … 5b. A. campestris ssp. canadensis (Michx.) Scoggan

2b.  Capitula with 10–22 (–28) flowers; involucre 1.8–2.9 mm wide; rare introduction in southern New England … 5c. A. campestris ssp. campestris

Subspecies caudata is native and known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Subspecies canadensis is native, of conservation concern, and known from ME, VT. Subspecies campestris is non-native and known from CT, MA. Reports of ssp. campestris in New England are based on Hall and Clements (1923). Some of the collections were referred to this subspecies through examination of above-ground collections. It may be that these collections are merely forms 
of ssp. caudata with open-branched capitulescences.

Native to North America?

Yes

Synonyms

  • Oligosporus campestris (L.) Cass.
  • Oligosporus campestris (L.) Cass.

Family

Asteraceae

Genus

Artemisia