[Mugworts, Sageworts and Wormwoods: The Genus Artemisia East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Intermediate Sagewort, Prairie Sage, Western Mugwort

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta

Synonym: Artemisia ludoviciana var. incompta

Intermediate sagewort as seen in wet meadows along the North Fork Crooked River about one and one-quarter miles south of the junction of FS Roads #42 and #4215, Ochoco National Forest..........June 12, 2015.

Characteristics:

Upright, aromatic herbaceous plant with numerous flower heads clustered close to the upper part of the main stem. The flower heads are discoid, with 6-45 yellowish disk flowers, depending on the variety. Leaves are entire to deeply parted or divided. Plants are somewhat silvery haired. Flowers from July into October.

Habitat:

Western wormwood is a wildflower that may be found in dry open places.

Range:

Western wormwood is found mostly east of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, but is otherwise common in the western United States.

Subspecies of Western Wormwood:

Gray Sagewort, Prairie Sage, Western Mugwort: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. candicans (Synonym: Artemisia ludoviciana var. latifloba) -

Estes's Artemisia: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. estesii -

Intermediate Sagewort, Prairie Sage, Western Mugwort: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta (Synonym: Artemisia ludoviciana var. incompta) -

Columbia River Sagewort, Columbia River Wormwood, Riverbank Wormwood: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. lindleyana (Synonyms: Artemisia lindleyana, Artemisia prescottiana)

Louisiana Sagewort, Prairie Sage, Silver Wormwood, Western Mugwort: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (Synonyms: Artemisia diversifolia, Artemisia gnaphaloides, Artemisia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana, Artemisia vulgaris var. ludoviciana) -

Leaves of intermediate sagewort as seen along the Hard Stone Trail on the west bank of the John Day River, Cottonwood Canyon State Park........May 3, 2017.

Intermediate sagewort as seen along the Slide Basin Trail #372 about one mile west of Slide Lake, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.........August 11, 2015.

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Close-up images of the upper and lower leaf surfaces (left and right images, respectively), and inflorescence (center) of intermediate sagewort as seen along the Slide Basin Trail #372 about one mile west of Slide Lake, Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.........August 11, 2015.

What may be intermediate sagewort growing in cracks between basalt boulders in the riparian area along the lower Grande Ronde River, Asotin County.........May 24, 2010. Note the lobed leaves and greenish undertone to the light gray foliage.

Paul Slichter