Artemisia dracunculus
Artemisia dracunculus L.
| Order | Asterales |
|---|---|
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Genus | Artemisia |
2n = 18, 36, 54, 72, 90
Origin : southern Russia
and central Asia
cultivated
| English | {{{english}}} |
|---|---|
| French | {{{french}}} |
Description
-
1, habit flowering stem; 2, lobed basal leaves; 3, flower head; 4, female floret; 5, male floret (PROSEA)
2n = 2x = 18; 4x = 36; 6x = 54; 8x = 72; 10x = 90
The famous French tarragon is sterile, with 2n = 4x = 36. The Russian tarragon is fertile, with 2n = 10x = 90, and much less appreciated, havins a distinct flavour.
Popular names
See more European names| English | tarragon |
| French | estragon |
Classification
Artemisia dracunculus L. (1753)
Cultivars
History
Uses
- culinary herb
- medicinal. See Cazin (1868)
Artemisia dracunculus Linn. TARRAGON. East Europe, the Orient and Himalayan regions. Tarragon was brought to Italy, probably from the shores of the Black Sea, in recent times. The first mention on record is by Simon Seth, in the middle of the twelfth century, but it appears to have been scarcely known as a condiment until the sixteenth century [1]. It was brought to England in or about 1548 [2]. The flowers, as Vilmorin says, are always barren, so that the plant can be propagated only by division. Tarragon culture is mentioned by the botanists of the sixteenth century and in England by Gerarde [3], 1597, and by succeeding authors on gardening. Rauwolf [4], 1573-75, found it in the gardens of Tripoli. In America, it is mentioned by McMahon [5], 1806. Its roots are now included in our leading seed catalogs. Tarragon has a fragrant smell and an aromatic taste for which it is greatly esteemed by the French. In Persia, it has long been customary to use the leaves to create an appetite. Together with the young tips, the leaves are put in salads, in pickles and in vinegar for a fish sauce. They are also eaten with beefsteaks, served with horseradish. Tarragon vinegar, says McIntosh [6], is much esteemed.
References
- Rousi, A., 1969. Cytogenetic comparison between two kinds of cultivated tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus). Hereditas, 62 : 192-193.