What is "artemisia absinthium"

Sal \Sal\ (s[a^]l), n. [L. See Salt.] (Chem. & Pharm.) Salt. Sal absinthii [NL.] (Old Chem.), an impure potassium carbonate obtained from the ashes of wormwood ( Artemisia Absinthium). Sal acetosell[ae] [NL.] (Old Chem.), salt of sorrel. Sal alembroth. (Old Chem.) See Alembroth. Sal ammoniac (Chem.), ammonium chloride, NH4Cl, a white crystalline volatile substance having a sharp salty taste, obtained from gas works, from nitrogenous matter, etc. It is largely employed as a source of ammonia, as a reagent, and as an expectorant in bronchitis. So called because originally made from the soot from camel's dung at the temple of Jupiter Ammon in Africa. Called also muriate of ammonia. Sal catharticus [NL.] (Old Med. Chem.), Epsom salts. Sal culinarius [L.] (Old Chem.), common salt, or sodium chloride. Sal Cyrenaicus. [NL.] (Old Chem.) See Sal ammoniac above. Sal de duobus, Sal duplicatum [NL.] (Old Chem.), potassium sulphate; -- so called because erroneously supposed to be composed of two salts, one acid and one alkaline. Sal diureticus [NL.] (Old Med. Chem.), potassium acetate. Sal enixum [NL.] (Old Chem.), acid potassium sulphate. Sal gemm[ae] [NL.] (Old Min.), common salt occuring native. Sal Jovis [NL.] (Old Chem.), salt tin, or stannic chloride; -- the alchemical name of tin being Jove. Sal Martis [NL.] (Old Chem.), green vitriol, or ferrous sulphate; -- the alchemical name of iron being Mars. Sal microcosmicum [NL.] (Old Chem.) See Microcosmic salt, under Microcosmic. Sal plumbi [NL.] (Old Chem.), sugar of lead. Sal prunella. (Old Chem.) See Prunella salt, under 1st Prunella. Sal Saturni [NL.] (Old Chem.), sugar of lead, or lead acetate; -- the alchemical name of lead being Saturn. Sal sedativus [NL.] (Old Chem.), sedative salt, or boric acid. Sal Seignette [F. seignette, sel de seignette] (Chem.), Rochelle salt. Sal soda (Chem.), sodium carbonate. See under Sodium. Sal vitrioli [NL.] (Old Chem.), white vitriol; zinc sulphate. Sal volatile. [NL.]

1. (Chem.) See Sal ammoniac, above.

2. Spirits of ammonia.

Wormwood \Worm"wood\, n. [AS. werm?d, akin to OHG. wermuota, wormuota, G. wermuth, wermut; of uncertain origin.]

1. (Bot.) A composite plant ( Artemisia Absinthium), having a bitter and slightly aromatic taste, formerly used as a tonic and a vermifuge, and to protect woolen garments from moths. It gives the peculiar flavor to the cordial called absinthe. The volatile oil is a narcotic poison. The term is often extended to other species of the same genus.

2. Anything very bitter or grievous; bitterness.

   Lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood.
   --Deut. xxix. 18.

   Roman wormwood (Bot.), an American weed ( Ambrosia artemisi[ae]folia); hogweed.

   Tree wormwood (Bot.), a species of Artemisia (probably Artemisia variabilis) with woody stems.

   Wormwood hare (Zo["o]l.), a variety of the common hare ( Lepus timidus); -- so named from its color.

Artemisia \Ar`te*mi"si*a\ ([aum]rt[-e]"m[i^]zh"[i^]*[.a] or [aum]rt[-e]"m[i^]sh"[i^]*[.a]), n. [L. Artemisia, Gr. 'Artemisi`a.] (Bot.) A genus of plants including the plants called mugwort, southernwood, and wormwood. Of these Artemisia absinthium, or common wormwood, is well known, and Artemisia tridentata is the sage brush of the Rocky Mountain region.

Absinthin \Ab*sin"thin\, n. (Chem.) The bitter principle of wormwood ( Artemisia absinthium).
--Watts.

Absinthium \Ab*sin"thi*um\, n. [L., from Gr. ?.] (Bot.) The common wormwood ( Artemisia absinthium), an intensely bitter plant, used as a tonic and for making the oil of wormwood.

Artemisia absinthium (absinthe, absinthium, absinthe wormwood, wormwood) is a species of Artemisia, native to temperate regions of Eurasia and Northern Africa and widely naturalized in Canada and the northern United States. It is grown as an ornamental plant and is used as an ingredient in the spirit absinthe as well as some other alcoholic drinks.