_Chamomile Flowers_; F. _Fleurs de Camomille Romaine_; G. _Römische
Kamillen_.
=Botanical Origin=—_Anthemis nobilis_ L., the Common or Roman
Chamomile, a small creeping perennial plant, throwing up in the latter
part of the summer solitary flowerheads.
It is abundant on the commons in the neighbourhood of London, and
generally throughout the south of England; and extends to Ireland, but
is not a native of Scotland, except the islands of Bute and Cumbrae,
where Anthemis is stated to grow wild. It is plentiful in the west and
centre of France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Dalmatia; and occurs as a
doubtful native in Southern and Central Russia.
=History=—The identification of the chamomile in the classical and
other ancient authors seems to be impossible, on account of the large
number of allied plants having similar inflorescence.
The chamomile has been cultivated for centuries in English gardens, the
flowers being a common domestic medicine. The double variety was well
known in the 16th century.
The plant was introduced, according to Gesner, into Germany from
Spain about the close of the middle ages. Tragus first designated it
_Chamomilla nobilis_,[1423] and Joachim Camerarius (1598), who had
observed its abundance near Rome, gave it the name of _Roman Chamomile_.
[1421] _Statement of the Trade and Navigation of the Presidency of
Bombay_ in 1871-72, pt. ii. 19. 98.
[1422] For further information on the medicinal species of _Anacyclus_,
see a paper by Dr. P. Ascherson in _Bonplandia_, 15 April 1858.
[1423] _De Stirpium_ ..., 1552. 149.—In Germany the epithet _edel_ (=
_nobilis_) is frequently used in popular botany to designate useful or
remarkable plants. Tragus may have been induced to bestow it on the
species under notice, on account of its superiority to _Matricaria
Camomilla_, the so-called _Common Chamomile_ of the Germans.
Porta, about the year 1604,[1424] states that 100 pounds of _Flores
Chamœmeli_ yielded 2 drachmæ of a green volatile oil; we suppose he
distilled the flowers under notice.
=Production=—The camomile is cultivated at Mitcham, near London, the
land applied to this purpose being in 1864 about 55 acres, and the
yield reckoned at about 4 cwt. per acre. The flowers are carefully
gathered, and dried by artificial heat; and fetch a high price in the
market.[1425]
The plant is grown on a large scale at Kieritzsch, between Leipzig and
Altenburg, and near Zeiz and Borna, all in Saxony; and likewise to some
extent in Belgium and France.
=Description=—The chamomile flowers found in commerce are never those
of the wild plant, but are produced by a variety in which the tubular
florets have all, or for the greater part been converted into ligulate
florets. In the flowers of some localities this conversion has been
less complete, and such flowers having a somewhat yellow centre, are
called by druggists _Single Chamomiles_; while those in which all the
florets are ligulate and white, are known as _Double Chamomiles_.
Chamomile flowers have the general structure found in the order
_Compositæ_. They are ½ to ¾ of an inch across, and consist of a
hemispherical involucre about ⅜ of an inch in diameter, composed of a
number of nearly equal bracts, scarious at the margin. The receptacle
is solid, conical, about ¼ of an inch in height, beset with thin,
concave, blunt, narrow, chaffy scales, from the bases of which grow the
numerous florets. In the wild plant, the outer of these, to the number
of 12 or more, are white, narrow, strap-shaped, and slightly toothed
at the apex. The central or disc florets are yellow and tubular, with
a somewhat bell-shaped summit from which project the two reflexed
stigmas. In the cultivated plant, the ligulate florets predominate, or
replace entirely the tubular. The florets which are wholly destitute of
pappus are reflexed, so that the capitulum when dried has the aspect
of a little white ball. Minute oil-glands are sparingly scattered
over the tubular portion of the florets of either kind. The flowers
of chamomile, as well as the green parts of the plant, have a strong
aroma, and a very bitter taste.
In trade, dried chamomile flowers are esteemed in proportion as they
are of large size, very double, and of a good white—the last named
quality being due in great measure to fine dry weather during the
flowering period. Flowers that are buff or brownish, or only partially
double, command a lower price.
=Chemical Composition=—Chamomile flowers yield from 0·6 to 0·8 per
cent. of essential oil,[1426] which is at first of a pale blue, but
becomes yellowish-brown in the course of a few months.
At Mitcham, oil of chamomile is usually distilled from the _entire
plant_, after the best flowers have been gathered. The oil has a shade
of green, to remove which it is exposed to sunlight; it thus acquires a
brownish-yellow colour, at the same time throwing down a considerable
deposit.
[1424] _De distillatione_, Romæ, 1608. 83.
[1425] About £9 per cwt., Foreign Chamomiles being worth from £3 to £4.
[1426] Information obligingly given by Messrs. Schimmel & Co., Leipzig.
The oil distilled by them was examined in Prof. Fittig’s laboratory,
Strassburg.
The investigations of several chemists, performed in 1878-79 in
Fittig’s laboratory, have shown the oil to contain the following
constituents:—At 147-148° C. _isobutylic ethers_ and hydrocarbons
are distilling, at 177° _angelicate_ of _isobutyl_, at 200°-201°
_angelicate_ of _isamyl_, at 204°-205° _tiglinate_ of _isamyl_ (both
these compound ethers answering to the formula C₅H₇O·OC₅H₁₁). In the
residual portion hexylic alcohol, C₆H₁₃OH, and an alcohol of the
formula C₁₀H₁₆O, are met with, both probably occurring in the form
of compound ethers. By decomposing the angelicates and the tiglinate
above named with potash, angelic acid, C₅H₈O₂, and tiglinic (or
methylcrotonic) acid, isomeric to the former, are obtained to the
extent of about 30 or more per cent. of the crude oil. In the oil
examined by Fittig, angelic acid was prevailing; from another specimen
E. Schmidt (1879) obtained but very little of it, tiglinic acid was by
far prevailing (see also article Oleum Crotonis).
We have performed some experiments in order to isolate the _bitter
principle_, but have not succeeded in obtaining it in a satisfactory
state of purity; it forms a brown extract, apparently a glucoside. We
can also confirm the statement that no alkaloid is present.
=Uses=—An infusion or an extract of chamomile is often used as a bitter
stomachic and tonic.
=Adulteration and Substitution=—The flowerheads of _Matricaria
Chamomilla_ L., designated in Germany _Common Chamomiles_ (_gemeine
Kamillen_), are sometimes asked for in this country. In aspect as well
as in odour, they are very different from the chamomiles of English
pharmacy; they are quite single, not bitter, and have the receptacle
devoid of scales and hollow.
A cultivated variety of _Chrysanthemum Parthenium_ Pers., or Feverfew,
with the florets all ligulate, and some scales on the receptacle
(not having the receptacle _naked_, as in the wild form), common in
gardens,[1427] has flowerheads exceedingly like double chamomiles. But
they may be distinguished from the latter by their _convex_ or _nearly
flat_ receptacle, with the scales lanceolate and acute, and less
membranous.
The chamomiles of the Indian bazaars which are brought from Persia
and known as _Bābūnah_, are (as we infer from the statement of Royle)
the flowers of _Matricaria suaveolens_ L., a slender form of _M.
Chamomilla_, growing in Southern Russia, Persia, Southern Siberia, also
in North America.
The fresh wild plant of _Anthemis nobilis_ L., pulled up from the
ground, is sold in London for making extract, a proceeding highly
reprehensible supposing the extract to be sold for medicinal use.
[1427] Is not this plant the _Anthemis? parthenioides_ Bernh., of which
De Candolle says (_Prod._ vi. 7)—“ ... simillima _Mat. Parthenio_, sed
paleis inter flores instructa. Ferè semper plena in hortis occurrit,
et forte ideo paleæ receptaculi ex luxuriante statu ortæ ut in
_Chrysanthemi indico et sinensi_ ...”?