Monday, July 1, 2013

Chamomile


Common Name : Chamomile

Botanical Name : Matricaria chamomilla
The word chamomile comes from the Greek  (chamaimelon) meaning "earth-apple",which is derived from (chamai) meaning "on the ground"and (melon) meaning "apple".It is so called because of the apple-like scent of the plant. Matricaria chamomilla (synonym: Matricaria recutita), commonly known as chamomile (also spelled camomile), German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile (kamilla), wild chamomile or scented mayweed, is an annual plant of the composite family Asteraceae. M. chamomilla is the most popular source of the herbal product chamomile, although other species are also used as chamomile.
The flowers are borne in paniculate flower heads (capitula). The white ray florets are furnished with a ligule, while the disc florets are yellow. The hollow receptacle is swollen and lacks scales. This property distinguishes German chamomile from corn chamomile (Anthemis arvensis), which has a receptacle with scales. The flowers bloom in early to midsummer, and have a strong, aromatic smell.


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