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 - Artemisia pontica
 
Artemisia pontica — Roman wormwood
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Facts
Roman wormwood, with its finely-dissected gray leaves, is a popular garden plant, but can escape locally from gardens. It is one of several plants used in the production of absinthe.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (human-disturbed or -maintained habitats), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
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
 
- Leaf blade edges
 - the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and 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
 - NA
 
- Tuft or plume on fruit
 - NA
 
- Spines on plant
 - the plant has no spines
 
- Leaf blade length
 - 10–50 mm
 
- Flower head width
 - 1.5–3 mm
 
- Disk flower number
 - 21-50
 
- 
                        
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
 - NA
 
- 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
 
- Bract outer side hairs
 - the bracts are 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 oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
 - the main bracts are ovate (egg-shaped)
 
 
- Bract spines
 - the bracts have no spines
 
- Bract tip color
 - the tips are a different color from the center of the bract
 
- Bract tip shape
 - the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
 
- Bracts
 - the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
 
- Disk flower color
 - yellow
 
- Disk flower lobe number
 - 5
 
- Disk flower number
 - 21-50
 
- Disk flower reproductive parts
 - the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
 
- Disk flower shape
 - the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
 
- 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 shape
 - NA
 
- Flower head width
 - 1.5–3 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
 - 2–4 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
 
- 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 has five or more corners in cross-section
 
- 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 roughly egg-shaped, but widest above the middle
 
- Ray flower color
 - NA
 
- Ray flower reproductive parts
 - the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
 
- Ray flowers
 - 
                                
                                    
- 11-15
 - 6-10
 
 
- Ray length
 - 0 mm
 
- Reproductive system
 - some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
 
- Scale tip
 - NA
 
- Style branch number
 - the style has two branches
 
- 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
 - 2–4 mm
 
 - 
                        
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
 - 0
 
- Ovary length in developed fruit
 - 0.1–0.2 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
 - NA
 
- 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)
 - the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
 
 
 - 
                        
Leaves
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
 - 0.5–1.5 mm
 
- 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
 - the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
 
 
- Leaf arrangement
 - alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
 
- 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 truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off)
 
- 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
 
- Leaf blade hairs
 - the leaf blade has tangled or woolly-looking hairs
 
- Leaf blade length
 - 10–50 mm
 
- Leaf blade shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
 - the leaf blade is triangular, with the stalk or attachment point on one of the sides
 
 
- 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
 - 10–30 mm
 
- Leaf disposition
 - the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
 
- 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 stalk length
 - At least 0 mm
 
- Leaf tip extension
 - NA
 
- 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
 - 
                                
                                    
- human-disturbed or -maintained habitats
 - meadows or fields
 
 
 - 
                        
Scent
- Plant odor
 - 
                                
                                    
- the plant does not have much of an odor
 - the plant has a pleasant odor, such as licorice, fruit or resin
 
 
 - 
                        
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
 - 
                                
                                    
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
 - 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
Not classified
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.
- Massachusetts
 - not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
 
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
10. Artemisia pontica L. E
Roman wormwood. CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Roadsides, fields, railroads.
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
- Artemisia abrotanum:
 - leaf blades 3-6 cm long, thinly tomentose only on the abaxial surface, the adaxial surface glabrous, and plants 5-20 dm tall (vs. A. pontica, with leaf blades 1-3 cm long, tomentose on both surfaces, and plants 4-10 dm tall).