white wormwood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• white wormwood
• Pyrenean Wormwood

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Seriphidium herba-alba

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Artemisia, specifically as the species Artemisia herba-alba.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across several distinct regions. In Northern Europe, its presence can be observed within the borders of Great Britain. Moving toward Southwestern Europe, the species is also found growing in Spain. The plant has a significant reach in Northern Africa, where it inhabits Algeria. Finally, its range extends across the North African landscape to include Morocco and Tunisia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Artemisia herba-alba is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons within its native habitats. In terms of its structural growth strategy, the species is classified as a chamaephyte, a life form where the majority of the photosynthetic organs are located close to the soil surface, often protected by seasonal litter or the ground itself. This chamaephyte designation is consistent across its morphological categorization, defining its survival mechanism and its ability to endure environmental stressors by maintaining its vital structures near the earth's surface.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Artemisia herbacea-alba is characterized by its growth form as a woody subshrub, typically exhibiting a self-supporting structure. As a terrestrial species, it does not function as an aquatic or semiaquatic plant, nor does it act as an epiphyte, remaining firmly rooted in soil environments. It is a non-climbing, self-supporting organism rather than a liana or vine, and it functions as an independent plant without parasitic tendencies. The plant's physical habit is defined by its woody nature, which supports its development as a perennial subshrub.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

subshrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Artemisia herba-alba is characterized by specialized adaptations to arid and semi-arid environments, primarily driven by its C3 photosynthetic pathway. As a C3 plant, its carbon fixation process occurs directly through the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells, which necessitates efficient water management to prevent photorespiration and excessive transpiration under high thermal stress. To mitigate the physiological challenges of drought, the plant exhibits significant xerophytic adaptations, including the production of volatile secondary metabolites and essential oils stored in glandular trichomes. These secretions serve a dual physiological role: they reduce water loss by creating a boundary layer of humidity around the leaf surface and act as chemical deterrents against herbivory. Furthermore, the plant maintains osmotic adjustment capabilities, allowing it to regulate turgor pressure and sustain metabolic functions even when soil moisture is limited.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Artemisia herba-alba is characterized by the production of specialized reproductive structures that facilitate the dispersal of its progeny. The plant produces fruit that is notably dry in texture, rather than fleshy, ensuring that the seeds are released in a manner suitable for its environmental conditions. The seeds themselves are quite minute, exhibiting a mean seed mass of approximately 0.000215 g. Within the population, the seed mass shows slight variations, ranging from a minimum value of 0.0002 g to a maximum value of 0.00023 g, a range that reflects the specific energetic investment per individual unit of dispersal.

Fruit dryness :

dry

Seed mass max:

0.00023 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000215 g

Seed mass min:

2e-04 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Artemisia herba-alba has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, leaf.

Flower

1. Journal of parasitology research

Leaf

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Chemicals

Artemisia herba-alba has 136 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include camphor, Isoschaftoside, Santolina alcohol, Schaftoside, 1,8-Cineole.

camphor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Experimental & applied acarology
3. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A
4. Phytochemistry
5. Frontiers in chemistry

Isoschaftoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
3. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Santolina alcohol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. PloS one

Schaftoside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

4,5-Di-O-caffeoylquinic acid

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Eucalyptol

1. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A
2. Frontiers in chemistry

Flavonoids

1. Preparative biochemistry & biotechnology
2. Planta medica

Hispidulin

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Isovitexin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part A

Activities

Artemisia herba-alba has 327 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Analgesic, Anthelmintic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Preparative biochemistry & biotechnology
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimicrobial

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
3. RSC advances
4. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Frontiers in chemistry

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of parasitology research

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

Antifungal

1. Frontiers in chemistry
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antiplaque

1. Dr. Duke
2. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society

Antiseptic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cytotoxic

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Medicinal Uses

Artemisia herba-alba has 28 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, COVID-19, diabetes mellitus, inflammation, Babesia.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations