72 



FLOWERS 



water, spread them out on a dark surface and examine the three- 

 toothed apex. 



Constituents. The principal constituents of chamomile flowers are 

 the volatile oil (0-8 to 1-0 per cent.) and the bitter principle, anthemic 

 acid. 



The volatile oil is blue when freshly distilled, but becomes greenish 

 or brownish yellow on keeping ; it consists chiefly of the esters of 

 the isomeric acids angelic and tiglic, with butyl and amyl alcohols ; 



Fia. 4L Chamomile (Anthemis 

 nobilis). A, ray-floret, mag- 

 nified 4 diam. B, disc -floret 

 with bract (6), showing ex- 

 ternal glands ; more highly 

 magnified. (Luerssen.) 



FIG. 42. German chamomile (Matri- 

 caria Chamomilla). A, flowerhead 

 cut vertically. B, ray-floret, mag- 

 nified. (Moeller.) 



it also contains an alcohol, anthemol, and a crystalline hydrocarbon, 

 anthemene. 



Anthemic acid is an intensely bitter, crystalline glucoside easily 

 hydrolysed with total loss of bitterness, prolonged boiling in water 

 being sufficient to produce the reaction. 



The flowers also contain a crystalline phytosterin, anthesterin, 

 melting at 221, wax, fatty oil, glucose, &c. They yield about 5 per 

 cent, of ash. 



Uses. Chamomile flowers possess aromatic, bitter stomachic pro- 

 perties ; the oil is occasionally administered in pills as a carminative. 



Substitutes, &c. The characters given above will easily distinguish 

 the true or Roman chamomile from the following, which somewhat 

 resemble it : 



