N. 0. COMPOSITE. 695 



yellow, 2in. across, solitary, or in corymbs. The Ray-florets are 

 in one series only, strapshaped, yellow or white, and all female ; 

 those of the disk are tubular, with, four or five teeth at the mouth, 

 and bisexual ; the pappus is reduced to a membranous ring or 

 absent altogether. There is called a " double" variety, with 

 the florets all strapshaped, closely overlapping. Bracts, with 

 dry and translucent margins (Page 290, vol. IT, the Favourite 

 Flowers of Garden and Green-house, by Edward Step, F. L. S. 

 Frederick Warne and Co.). 



Use : — Dallzell and Gibson state that cne flowers are a toler- 

 able substitute for chamomile. The root chewed communicates 

 the same tingling sensation to the tongue as pellitory. Accor- 

 ding to Dr. Walker ("Bombay Med. and Phys. Trans. 1840, p.. 

 71\ the people of the Deccan administer the plant in conjunction 

 with black pepper in gonorrhoea (Ph. Ind.). 



559. Matricaria Chamomilla, Linn, h.f.bj., 

 hi. 315. 



Syn. :-~M. Suaveolens, Linn. Roxb. 605. 



Vern. : — Babun phul (B- and H.) ; Babunah, Suteigul (Pb.). 



Habitat : — Upper Gangetic Plain and the Punjab. 



An aromatic herb, about 1-ft. high ; much-branched. Leaves 

 2-pinnatifid, segments very narrow. Heads J-fin. diam., corym- 

 bose. Ligules reflexed after flowering, or ; receptacle elongat- 

 ing during fruiting. Achenes grey, small ; ribs slender, white, 

 ventral only. Achenes with slender white ribs on the ventral 

 face only. Pappus 0. 



Use : — In Persian works, the flowers are described as stimu- 

 lant, attenuant and discutient. There is a popular opinion 

 among the Persians that the odour of the flowers induces sleep 

 and drives noxious insects ; they also say that Chamomile tea 

 applied to the genitals has a powerfully stimulating effect (Dy- 

 mock). 



Chamomile oil is used externally in rheumatism, in Gujrat 

 (Ibbetson's Gazetteer). 



