Flora of New Zealand Series

chamomile

Sweetly aromatic, creeping, perennial herb. Stems decumbent to ascending, to c. 20 cm tall, striate, moderately to densely hairy, much-branched from base. Basal and lower cauline lvs apetiolate, obovate, sparsely to moderately hairy, 3-pinnatisect, 15-50 × 5-15 mm; ultimate segments narrow-linear to subulate, entire, not all in one plane giving a feathery appearance; cauline lvs few, smaller than basal, oblong and becoming 1-pinnatisect. Involucral bracts sparsely hairy, 2-5 mm long; margins pale, membranous, often with an extended membranous flap at apex. Capitula solitary, c. 8-20-(30) mm diam.; ray florets 13-20, ♀; ligules white; disc florets numerous, yellow. Receptacle scales elliptic-oblong, obtuse and often irregular at apex. Achenes 1.1-1.2 mm long, narrow-obovoid, narrowed to apex, brown, with 1-4 narrow ribs on inner surface.

N.: scattered localities, commonest in Auckland and Northland; S.: Nelson, Westland, one early collection from Bluff.

W. Europe, N. Africa, Azores 1867

Forming small colonies in waste places, roadsides, pasture, and gardens.

FL Dec-Apr.

Chamomile may be distinguished from Anthemis arvensis and A. cotula when mature achenes (Fig. 17) are not present, by the apex of the receptacle scales which is blunt and often irregular in C. nobile (Fig. 16) and acute to acuminate and entire in the 2 Anthemis spp. Chamomile has been previously recorded in N.Z. as Anthemis nobilis and A. mixta.

C. nobile is widely cultivated as a lawn plant, and the florets are also used to make chamomile tea - it is sometimes known as perennial chamomile or as Roman chamomile. Matricaria recutita L. is also cultivated for herbal tea, but is easily distinguished by the erect annual habit and lack of receptacular scales.