Chamomile – Botanical Profile

Chamomile

Matricaria chamomilla L., Asteraceae Family

Distribution and Habitat

Native to Europe and Western Asia; naturalized worldwide. Prefers sunny fields, roadsides, and cultivated land.

Botanical and Morphological Description

An annual aromatic herb.

  • Root: Slender taproot.
  • Stem: Erect, highly branched, smooth.
  • Leaves: Alternate, bipinnate to tripinnate, finely dissected.
  • Flower (Chamomillae flos) is an inflorescence named capitulum, with white ray florets and yellow tubular disc florets. The receptacle hollow, it is an important taxonomic character
  • Fruit: Small achene without pappus.
  • Seeds: Tiny, light brown.

Key Identification Features: apple-like aroma, finely divided leaves, hollow receptacle.

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