Abstract
ABSTRACT Artemisia annua is a xeromorphic temperate plant that contains promising antimalarial drugs, the sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin and derivatives of this compound. An examination of the growth and flowering behavior of Artemisia annua in the subtropical climate region of India demonstrated the plant grew normally and flowered profusely in the winter cropping season, late October to late April, at Lucknow, India. Considerable inter-plant variation was observed, however, in growth habit and flowering time. Plants could be grouped into four classes: early maturing dwarf, early maturing tall, late maturing dwarf, and late maturing tall. Early maturing plants which flowered in February and March, produced fertile achenes, completing the life cycle in 7 to 8 months. Late flowering plants that flowered in May and June, when the maximum day temperature was over 40°C, produced florets without seeds. The high temperature conditions to which the late flowering plants were exposed, appeared to prematurely dry the stigma. Late flowering plants sprouted branches from the vegetative and flowering parts of the plant during the rainy season.
Published Version
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