Matricaria chamomilla — wild chamomile
![Leaves: Matricaria chamomilla. ~ By John Hilty. ~ Copyright © 2024 John Hilty. ~ john[at]illinoiswildflowers.info ~ Illinois Wildflowers - www.illinoiswildflowers.info/index.htm](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Asteraceae/matricaria-chamomilla-recutita-le-jhilty.jpg)
![Plant form: Matricaria chamomilla. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Asteraceae/matricaria-chamomilla-ha-ahaines.jpg)
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Facts
Wild chamomile is also known as German chamomile. Native to Europe and Asia, and adventive in many other parts of the world. This species is grown commercially worldwide for use as an herbal tea and for pharmaceutical extracts. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-allergic, and sedative properties.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
- white
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 5–78 mm
- Disk flower number
- more than 50
-
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
- Bract cycle number
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- Bract separation
- the bracts appear completely unconnected to one another on all flower heads
- Disk flower color
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
- more than 50
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk width
- 5–9.5 mm
- Flower head number
-
- each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
- each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
- Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
- Flower head platform surface
- NA
- Flower head position
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
- Flower head profile
- the disk is conical across the top
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Height of flower head base
- 2–3.2 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 34–42
- Ovary attachment
- the ovary is attached at the side near the base, rather than at the base
- Ovary cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
-
- there are four to six lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- there are three lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- Ovary surface
- the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles, though it may have lines, ribs or wings
- Peduncle length
- 5–75 mm
- Ray flower color
- white
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
-
- 11-15
- 16-25
- 26-50
- 6-10
- Ray length
- 7–8.5 mm
- Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Style branches
- the style branch is wider at the tip and has a flattened end, or the style branches are wider at the tips and have flattened ends
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
-
- 0
- 1
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 0.75–0.9 mm
- Seed hair tuft bases
- NA
- Seed hair tuft color
- NA
- Seed hair tuft details
- NA
- Seed hair tuft tips
- NA
- Seed hairs uniform
- NA
- Seed tuft scale number
- 0
- Seed tuft type
-
- the pappus is made of a circle or rim of lobes or teeth on the ovary
- there is no pappus on the ovary
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
-
Glands or sap
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is annual, it lacks evidence of previous years' growth
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- there is a thickened taproot on the plant
-
Leaves
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
-
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- Leaf blade length
- 5–78 mm
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
- Leaf blade width
- 3–18 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis, and each lobe itself has rows of lobes on each side of the lobe's central axis
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant has a pleasant odor, such as licorice, fruit or resin
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem bloom
-
- the stem has a powdery or waxy film on it that can be rubbed away
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem internode hair direction
- NA
- Stem internode hair length
- 0 mm
- Stem internode hair type
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem internode hairs
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem wings
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
None
Subspecies and varieties
Matricaria chamomilla L. var. chamomilla is known from CT, MA, ME, RI.M. chamomilla var. recutita (L.) Fiori is known from CT, MA, ME.
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Matricaria chamomilla L. E
wild chamomile. 1a. Chamomilla chamomilla (L.) Rydb.; Matricaria chamomilla L. var. coronata J. Gay ex Boiss.; 1b. Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert; Matricaria recutita L. • CT, MA, ME, RI. Fields, roadsides, waste areas.
1a. Pappus of a short crown at the summit of the ovary present on ray flowers and sometimes also on the disk flowers … 1a. M. chamomilla var. chamomilla
1b. Pappus absent on all flowers … 1b. M. chamomilla var. recutita (L.) Fiori
Variety chamomilla is known from CT, MA, ME, RI. Variety recutita is known from CT, MA, ME. See Applequist (2002) for nomenclature of this species.
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
- Anthemis cotula:
- center portion of receptacle of flower head with scales between the flowers and foliage ill-scented (vs. M. chamomilla, with receptacle of flower head lacking scales between the flowers and foliage pleasantly odorous). Tripleurospermum maritimum: receptacle slightly raised and rounded near the center and foliage relatively unscented (vs. receptacle raised and pointed near the center and foliage pleasantly odorous).
Synonyms
- Chamomilla chamomilla (L.) Rydb.
- Matricaria chamomilla L. var. coronata J. Gay ex Boiss.