Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Common Ragweed, is the most widespread plant of the genus Ambrosia in North America. It has also been called Annual Ragweed, Bitterweed, Blackweed, Carrot Weed, Hay Fever Weed, Roman Wormwood, Stammerwort, Stickweed, Tassel Weed, and American Wormwood. It is native in North America. Ambrosia artemisiifolia Linnaeus, Annuals, 20-150 cm. Stems erect. Leaves opposite and alternate; petiole 2.5-3.5(-6) cm; blade deltate to lanceolate or elliptic, 2.5-5.5(-9) × 2-3(-5) cm, pinnately 1- or 2-lobed, abaxially sparsely pilosulose to strigillose, adaxially strigillose, both surfaces gland-dotted, base cuneate, ultimate margin entire or toothed. Female capitula clustered, proximal to male; floret 1.
Ambrosia artemisiifolia is used in phytoremediation projects, removing heavy metals such as Lead from the soil. A new 3,4-seco-ambrosanolide was isolated from Ambrosiaartemisiifolia and identified by means of spectroscopic evidence 1H and 13C NMR, IR and MS).
