CHAMOMILE. 233 



Anthemis nobilis, Tragus, a perennial plant indif:jenous to the South 

 of England, and* was first called " Roman Chamomile" by 

 Camerarius. Two kinds of this plant are distinguished (both 

 cultivated in England), the single and the double. The single 

 flowers are usually preferred, on account of their having the largest 

 yellow discs, in which the oil chiefly resides; the single wild 

 chamomile is also preferred for medicinal purposes, as it contains 

 a greater quantity of the bitter principle. The flowers usually 

 found in the shops are the " double " or cultivated sort ; in these 

 all or most of the yellow tubular central florets have developed 

 into white strap-shaped, ones. These flowers are consequently 

 whiter, larger and more showy, but they are less odoriferous and 

 of less value medicinally. The single variety is apt to become 

 double by cultivation. The cultivation is carried on in England 

 and in Belgium. 



English chamomile flowers are said to yield on average, about a 

 half per cent, of essential oil, which, when fresh, is pale blue, but 

 becomes brownish by keeping. Dr. Muter considers that " this oil 

 may be viewed as a mixture of butylic and amylic angelate and 

 valerate. These bodies are easily decomposed by the action of 

 potassium hydrate, forming potassium angelate." 



In practice the oil is distilled from the entire plant. 



In Germany, the plant known as "Common chamomile" 



is the Matricaria chamomilla, " Corn Feverfew," which differs in 

 appearance from " Eoman chamomile " in that the flower heads are 

 single, not bitter, and the receptacle is very conical, hollow and 

 devoid of scales. Also its flowers grow on longer stalks, its leaves 

 are more linear and not so numerous. 



The oil of chamomile of the shops is generally derived from 

 abroad, and is to a great extent produced from Matricaria 

 chamo'milla grown in Hungary. It flowers from May to August 

 and sometimes even till October. The flowers, on being bruised, 

 smell somewhat like the true Chamomile, but not so pleasant. The 

 seeds of the Antlicmis are broad and truncated at the top, wrinkled 

 and of a deep brown colour ; those of the Matricaria are much 

 smaller, paler, and different in shape. The essential oil of Matricaia 

 chamomilla has been found to contain Caprinic acid, C-^^ H„o Oo, 

 which is colourless, smells strongly of chamomile and boils at 150-"* 



* Sowerby, Eng. Bot., t. 980. 



