The Tansy is to be found in hedge-banks, and by the roadside, or on the
borders of the fields in many places all over the country, though in the
North it is not very common. It flowers in autumn, and is a tall, bushy
plant, with large green, ferny leaves.
The Tansy has a short, green stem rising stiff and straight from the
ground, and this stem branches at the top into three or four forks. Each
of these forks divides again into two or three smaller forks, and there
is a flower which looks like a yellow button at the end of each fork.
If you pick one of these yellow buttons to pieces you find that it is
made up of a great many yellow tubes, with a swollen green part at the
bottom. These yellow tubes are of two kinds. In some the mouth of the
tube is cut evenly all round into small scollops, and in others there is
a yellow strap at one side of the tube. These tubes stand on a round
disc, and at the back of this disc there is a thick double row of small
green pointed leaves, which form a green cup behind the yellow buttons.
The leaves of the Tansy are like coarse ferns. They are feather-shaped,
with deeply cut divisions, and each division is toothed at the edges.
The Tansy has a strong scent, especially when you crush its leaves or
stalks.