The Description.

            1. The white or common Sea Wormwood hath many leaves cut and divided into infinite fine jags, like those of Southernwood, of a white hoary colour and strong smell, but not unpleasant: among which rise up tough hoary stalks set with the like leaves, on the top wherof do grow small yellowish flowers; the root is tough, and creepeth far abroad, by means whereof it greatly increaseth.

            2. The Broad-Leaved Sea Wormwood hath many weak slender branches commonly two foot long at their full growth, red of colour, and creeping upon the ground: the leaves are small, narrow, long and jagged, or parted towards their ends into sundry parcels: they are green above, and greyish underneath: the tops of the branches are set with many little stalks, some inch long: which upon short footstalks coming out of the bosoms of little longish narrow leaves carry small round knops, like as in other plants of this kind: the flowers flowers grow on the tops of the stalks, of a yellowish colour; the root is tough and creeping: the taste is a little bitterish, and the smell not unpleasant. This grows with Mr Parkinson and others, and (as I remember) it was first sent over from the Isle of Rees by Mr John Tradescant. Lobel in his Observations mentions it by the name of Absinithium ponticum supinum herbariorum; and Tabernamontanus sets it forth by the title of Absinthium repens.

The Place.

            These Wormwoods do grow upon the raised grounds in the salt marshes near unto the sea, in most places of England; which being brought into gardens doth there flourish as in his natural place, and retaineth his smell, taste, and natural quality, as hath been often proved. So saith our author, but I have not heard that the latter grows wild in any place with us in England.

The Time.

            These bring forth flowers and seeds when the other Wormwoods do. The later scarce seeds with us, it flowers so late in the year.

The Names.

            Sea Wormwood is called in Latin, Absinthium marinum, and likewise seriphium: in Dutch, See Alsene: of divers, Santonicion, as witnesseth Dioscorides: nevertheless there is another Santonicum differing from Sea Wormwood: in English of some women of the country, Garden Cypress.

The Temperature.

            Sea Wormwood is of nature hot and dry, but not so much as the common.

The Virtues.

            A. Dioscorides affirmeth, that being taken of itself, or boiled with rice, and eaten with honey, it killeth the small worms of the guts, and gently looseth the belly, the which Pliny doth also affirm.

            B. The juice of sea Wormwood drunk with wine resisteth poison, especially the poison of Hemlocks.

            C. The leaves stamped with figs, saltpetre and the meal of Darnel, and applied to the belly, sides, or flanks, help the dropsy, and such as are splenetic.

            D. The same is singular against all inflammations, and heat of the stomach and liver, exceeding all the kinds of Wormwood for the same purposes that common Wormwood serveth.

            E. It is reported by such as dwell near the sea side, that the cattle which do feed where it groweth become fat and lusty very quickly.

            F. The herb with his stalks laid in chests, presses, and wardrobes, keepeth clothes from moths and other vermin.