Chamomile | |
---|---|
Chamaemelum nobile [1] | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Chamaemelum |
Species: | C. nobile |
Binomial name | |
Chamaemelum nobile | |
Synonyms | |
Anthemis nobilis L. |
Chamaemelum nobile, commonly known as chamomile (also spelled camomile), is a low perennial plant found in dry fields and around gardens and cultivated grounds in Europe, North America, and South America. Its synonym is Anthemis nobilis, with various common names, such as Roman chamomile, English chamomile, garden chamomile, ground apple, low chamomile, mother's daisy or whig plant. [2] C. nobile is one source of the herbal product known as chamomile using dried flowers for flavoring teas or as a fragrance used in aromatherapy. [3] [4] Chamomile has no established medicinal properties. [3] [4]
Chamaemelum nobile has daisy-like white flowers and procumbent stems; the leaves are alternate, bipinnate, finely dissected, and downy to glabrous. The solitary, terminal flowerheads, rising 20–30 cm (8–12 in) above the ground, consist of prominent yellow disk flowers and silver-white ray flowers. The flowering time in the Northern Hemisphere is June and July, and its fragrance is sweet, crisp, fruity and herbaceous. [5] Although the plant is often confused with German chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla ), its morphology, properties and chemical composition are markedly different. [6]
The word chamomile and the genus name Chamaemelum derive from the Greek χαμαίμηλον (chamaimēlon), "earth-apple", [7] from χαμαί (chamai), "on the ground" + μήλον (mēlon), "apple", so-called because of the apple-like scent of the plant.
The plant obtained the name "nobile" (Latin "noble" NEU ) [8] because of its putative therapeutic properties, which were believed to be better than those of the German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.). [9] [10]
Roman chamomile is native to Western Europe and the northwestern Maghreb, but has been introduced to a variety of areas outside its native range, where it has become naturalised. Its native range includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Algeria and the Azores. [11] In Great Britain, it grows wild in Southern England and portions of Wales - primarily in Cornwall, Dartmoor, the New Forest and the Welsh coastline [12] - with populations found north of Derbyshire considered to be naturalised. [13]
Roman chamomile (C. nobile L.) has a history of use in traditional medicine since the Middle Ages. [10] The European cultivation of the plant started in England in the 16th century. [9] Its fragrant smell and soft leaves made it popular with Elizabethan gardeners, and the plant became a mainstay of herb gardens across the British Isles. [14] C. nobile was listed first in the pharmacopoeia of Würtenberg as a carminative, painkiller, diuretic and digestive aid. [10] Joachim Camerarius was the first to discover and name chamaemelum nobile in 1598 in Rome. [10] In Egypt, chamaemelum nobile was used as a symbol of dedication to their gods. [15]
Chamaemelum nobile is listed as least concern on the Red List but the plant population trend in the UK is decreasing at a significant rate. This decline in the Chamaemelum nobile population was caused by the drainage of wet grasslands, decrease in grazing, and the reduction of pasture that was used as arable fields. [16] There is speculation that wild plant collecting may also be a cause of this species population decline. [16]
Although the species population is declining there are a few plants placed in at least one land and water protected area. There are no educational awareness programs, international legislations, or international management for this species. [16]
Extracts or dried flowers of Chamaemelum nobile are used in hair care and skincare products. [3] [4] [17] The plant may be used to flavor foods and in herbal teas, perfumes, and cosmetics. [3] [4] [5] It is used in aromatherapy in the belief it is a calming agent to reduce stress and promote sleep. [3] [4] [17] Chamomile essential oil contains sesquiterpenes, terpene lactones (including the blue compound chamazulene), acetylene derivatives, and polyphenols, which contribute to the fragrance and may be extracted individually. [4]
Chamomile can be planted as a fragrant chamomile lawn. A chamomile lawn needs light soil, adequate moisture, and sun to thrive. Each square meter contains 83–100 plants. The lawn is only suitable for light foot traffic; stepping-stones can be set into the lawn if more traffic is needed (with at least 10 cm between them to allow the camomile to grow [18] ). Because they don't need mowing, they are often used in places where mower access is difficult, though trimming may help make it denser. If a flowering variety is used, it will need to be deadheaded, so non-flowering varieties are lower-maintenance. Dwarf varieties are also commonly used. [19] [20] [21] Chamomile lawns were popular in England in the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603). Chamomile seats, smaller raised areas of fragrant lawn meant to be sat upon, were also popular, and are still used as garden features. There is a chamomile seat in the Queen's Garden at Kew Gardens. [22] Herb seats planted with other species, such as creeping thyme, also exist. [23] [24]
Although used in folk medicine, there are no studies confirming its medicinal efficacy. [3] Alternative medicine practices approved in Germany include use of chamomile as a topical medication or inhalant for mouth and respiratory tract irritations. [4]
Chamomile is likely unsafe for use during pregnancy, and its topical use for skin disorders may cause contact dermatitis. [3] [4] Consuming chamomile tea may adversely affect anticoagulant drugs. [4]
The plant has diverse common names, among which Roman chamomile or sweet chamomile are used during the 21st century. [3]
Asteraceae is a large family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchidaceae, and which is the larger family is unclear as the quantity of extant species in each family is unknown. The Asteraceae were first described in the year 1740 and given the original name Compositae. The family is commonly known as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family.
Lavandula is a genus of 47 known species of perennial flowering plants in the mints family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World, primarily found across the drier, warmer regions of mainland Eurasia, with an affinity for maritime breezes.
Salvia rosmarinus, commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers. It is native to the Mediterranean region, as well as Portugal and Spain. Until 2017, it was known by the scientific name Rosmarinus officinalis, now a synonym.
Chamomile or camomile is the common name for several daisy-like plants of the family Asteraceae. Two of the species, Matricaria chamomilla and Chamaemelum nobile, are commonly used to make herbal infusions for beverages. There has been limited research as to whether consuming chamomile in foods or beverages is effective in treating medical conditions.
Matricaria discoidea, commonly known as pineappleweed, wild chamomile, disc mayweed, and rayless mayweed, is an annual plant native to North America and introduced to Eurasia where it grows as a common herb of fields, gardens, and roadsides. It is in the daisy family Asteraceae. The flowers exude a chamomile/pineapple aroma when crushed. They are edible and have been used in salads and to make herbal tea.
Matricaria is a genus of flowering plants in the chamomile tribe within the sunflower family. Some of the species have the common name of "mayweed", but this name also refers to plants not in this genus.
Matricaria chamomilla, commonly known as chamomile, German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile (kamilla), wild chamomile, blue chamomile, or scented mayweed, is an annual plant of the composite family Asteraceae. Commonly, the name M. recutita is applied to the herbal product chamomile, although other species are also used as chamomile. The plant is commonly used to make a tea.
Cananga odorata, known as ylang-ylang or cananga tree, is a tropical tree that is native to the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Queensland, Australia. It is also native to parts of Thailand and Vietnam. It is valued for the essential oils extracted from its flowers, which has a strong floral fragrance. Ylang-ylang is one of the most extensively used natural materials in the perfume industry, earning it the name "Queen of Perfumes".
Thymus serpyllum, known by the common names of Breckland thyme, Breckland wild thyme, wild thyme, creeping thyme, or elfin thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to most of Europe and North Africa. It is a low, usually prostrate subshrub growing to 2 cm (1 in) tall with creeping stems up to 10 cm (4 in) long. The oval evergreen leaves are 3–8 mm long. The strongly scented flowers are either lilac, pink-purple, magenta, or a rare white, all 4–6 mm long and produced in clusters. The hardy plant tolerates some pedestrian traffic and produces odors ranging from heavily herbal to lightly lemon, depending on the variety.
Tripleurospermum inodorum, common names scentless false mayweed, scentless mayweed, scentless chamomile, and Baldr's brow, is the type species of Tripleurospermum. This plant is native to Eurasia, and introduced to North America, where it is commonly found in fields, fallow land and gardens.
Rhododendron groenlandicum is a flowering shrub with white flowers and evergreen leaves that is used to make a herbal tea.
Lavandula angustifolia, formerly L. officinalis, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean. Its common names include lavender, true lavender and English lavender ; also garden lavender, common lavender and narrow-leaved lavender.
Hedychium spicatum is a plant species native to China, the Himalayas, Myanmar, and Thailand.
Thymus citriodorus, the lemon thyme or citrus thyme, is a lemon-scented evergreen mat-forming perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae. There has been a great amount of confusion over the plant's correct name and origin. Recent DNA analysis suggests that it is not a hybrid or cross, but a distinct species as it was first described in 1811., yet an analysis in a different study clustered Thymus citriodorus together with Thymus vulgaris, which is considered as one of its parent species.
Chamaemelum is a small genus of plants in the daisy family commonly known as chamomiles or dogfennels. Perhaps the best-known species is Roman chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile. These are annual or perennial herbs, rarely exceeding half a meter in height and usually bearing solitary white daisylike flowers with yellow centers. They are native to Europe but most species can be found scattered in other continents where they have been introduced. The genus consists of only two species and is of the Asteraceae family.
Cymbopogon schoenanthus, the camel grass, camel's hay, straw of Mecca,fever grass, geranium grass, or West Indian lemon grass, is a herbal plant of Southern Asia and Northern Africa, with fragrant foliage.
Cruciata laevipes is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is commonly known as crosswort, smooth bedstraw or Luc na croise in Gaelic. The Latin epithet laevipes refers to the smooth stalk.
Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices. Herbs generally refers to the leafy green or flowering parts of a plant, while spices are usually dried and produced from other parts of the plant, including seeds, bark, roots and fruits.
Parodontax is a brand name of toothpaste and mouthwash currently owned by Haleon, previously GSK.
This article incorporates public domain material from Dictionary of Cancer Terms. U.S. National Cancer Institute.