Anthemis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anthemis
Corn chamomile (Anthemis arvensis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae (Compositae) Genus: Anthemis L.
Species
About 100 species, including: Anthemis cotula Anthemis nobilis Anthemis tinctoria (see text for more)

Anthemis (Án-the-mis) is a genus of about 100 species of aromatic herbs in the Asteraceae, closely related to Chamaemelum, and like that genus, known by the common name Chamomile; some species are also called Dog-fennel or Mayweed. However, Mayweed is improperly used for this genus since Mayweed refers to the Matricaria genus. Anthemis are native to the Mediterranean region and southwest Asia east to Iran. They have been grown in and have become native to England/United Kingdom.

Anthemis species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Bucculatrix anthemidella, a leaf-miner which feeds exclusively on Anthemis tinctoria.

[edit] Cultivation and uses

The flowers are commonly used for tea, and the leaves, when crushed, give off a scent of apples. It grows well in light, sandy soil. Nicknamed "the plants' physician", it seems to improve the health of other plants grown near it. Chamomile flowers make a good rinse for fair hair.

[edit] Species

Anthemis contains about 100 species, including the following:

• Anthemis altissima
• Anthemis arvensis
• Anthemis austriaca
• Anthemis cinerea
• Anthemis cotula
• Anthemis cretica
• Anthemis glaberrima
• Anthemis haussknechtii
• Anthemis macedonica
• Anthemis marschalliana
• Anthemis nobilis (also known as Chamaemelum nobile), Roman chamomile
• Anthemis punctata
• Anthemis rosea
• Anthemis sanci-johannis
• Anthemis secundiramea
• Anthemis styriaca
• Anthemis tinctoria
• Anthemis triumfetti
• Anthemis tuberculata