''Matricaria'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

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. Most are very common in the temperate regions of

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

, and

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...

, as well as in northern and southern

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, and some are naturalised in Australia. ''

Matricaria occidentalis ''Matricaria occidentalis'', commonly known as valley mayweed, is an annual plant native to North America. It is in the family Asteraceae. Description The stem is either branching or below the corymbose summit. It is high; not strongly scente ...

'' is native to North America; other species have been introduced there.Flora of North America, Vol. 19, 20 and 21 Page 540 Mayweed, chamomile, matricary, matricaire, chamomille ''Matricaria'' Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 890. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 380. 1754.
/ref> These are hardy, pleasantly

aromatic In chemistry, aromaticity is a chemical property of cyclic (ring-shaped), ''typically'' planar (flat) molecular structures with pi bonds in resonance (those containing delocalized electrons) that gives increased stability compared to sat ...

annuals, growing along roadsides in

ruderal A ruderal species is a plant species that is first to colonize disturbed lands. The disturbance may be natural for example, wildfires or avalanchesor the consequences of human activities, such as construction ( of roads, of buildings, mining, et ...

communities and in fallow land rich in nutrients. Though many are considered nuisance

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, "a plant in the wrong place", or a plant growing where it is not wanted.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. ...

s, they are suitable for rock gardens and herb gardens, and as border plants. Their many-branched stems are prostrate to erect,

glabrous Glabrousness (from the Latin '' glaber'' meaning "bald", "hairless", "shaved", "smooth") is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part o ...

, and very leafy. Their

bipinnate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular ...

leaves have numerous linear, narrowly lobed leaflets. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

s are radially symmetrical. The greenish-yellow capitula are semi-spherical. The white ray

florets This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary o ...

can be present (''M. recutita'') or lacking (''M. discoidea''). The disc florets are 4- to 5-dentate. The receptacle is 2–3 times as high as wide. The pappus may be crown-shaped and short, or lacking. ''Matricaria'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

e of some Lepidoptera species (

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larva, larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterfly, butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawfly ...

s) including

lime-speck pug The lime-speck pug (''Eupithecia centaureata'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is a common species throughout the Palearctic region (where it is found in Europe, Central Asia, Mongolia, southern Siberia, eastern China (Guangdong) and T ...

. The

extract An extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures, absolutes or in powder form. The aromatic principles of many spices, nuts ...

of '' Matricaria chamomilla (or recutita)'' (German chamomile) is taken as a strong tea. It has been used in herbal medicine as a

carminative A carminative, also known as carminativum (plural carminativa), is a herb or preparation intended to either prevent formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract or facilitate the expulsion of said gas, thereby combatting flatulence. Name The wor ...

and anti-inflammatory. It is also used in ointments and lotions, and as a mouthwash against infections of mouth and gums.

Aromatherapy Aromatherapy is based on the usage of aromatic materials including essential oils and other aroma compounds, with claims for improving psychological and physical well-being. It is offered as a complementary therapy or as a form of alternative ...

uses two

essential oils An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...

of chamomile: the "true chamomile" oil (or German chamomile oil, from ''M. recutita'') and the Roman chamomile oil (from ''

Chamaemelum nobile ''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 nobili ...

''). The

taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

of ''Matricaria'' is controversial and very confused. Several species are classified either in ''

Tripleurospermum ''Tripleurospermum'' is a genus in the chamomile tribe within the sunflower family. Mayweed is a common name for plants in this genus. Most of the species are from Europe and temperate Asia although a few are from North America and North Afr ...

'' or ''Matricaria'' depending on the interpretation of the author. The distinction is made according to the number of the seed ribs: ''Tripleurospermum'' has one adaxial and two lateral seed ribs, while ''Matricaria'' has four or five adaxial seed ribs. ; Species

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q27618 Anthemideae Asteraceae genera

See also

References

External links