Camomile, or CHAMOMILE (Anthemis), a genus of Compositæ. The species are annual and perennial herbs, all palearctic. The most important species of the genus is A. nobilis, which has long been known for the medicinal virtues of an infusion of its flowers (Flores Anthemidis) as a bitter stomachic and tonic. These properties seem mainly due to an essential oil which is prepared by distillation; a bit- ter principle is also present, but no alkaloid. The plant is chiefly cultivated at Mitcham in Surrey, and at Kieritzch and elsewhere in Saxony. Its flowers differ from the wild forms in being all more or less double, but those in which the conversion of tubular into ligulate florets has been less complete, leaving a somewhat yellow centre, are called by druggists single camomiles. The largest, whitest, and most completely double flowers are most esteemed. The other British species are mere weeds; one of them, called Stink- ing Camomile (A. Cotula), is so acrid as to blister the fingers. But the flowers of the Dyer's Camomile (A. tinctoria), common on the Continent, yield a beautiful dye.
Wild Camomile (Matricaria Chamomilla) is the common camomile of German writers. It has long been employed as an adulterant or substitute for the other, and (illicitly) in brewing; its flower-heads are, however, easily distinguished, being quite single and not bitter; the receptacle is also hollow and devoid of the bracteoles which largely characterise the true camomile. A cultivated variety of M. Parthenium (Feverfew, q.v.) has also to be distinguished. The camomile of the Indian bazaars is said to be a variety (M. Suaveolens) of the former species.