Matricaria

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Campanulids
Ordo: Asterales

Familia: Asteraceae
Subfamilia: Asteroideae
Tribus: Anthemideae
Subtribus: Matricariinae
Genus: Matricaria
Species: M. aurea – M. chamomilla – M. discoidea – M. occidentalis – M. tzvelevii
Name

Matricaria L.

Type species: Matricaria recutita L. = Matricaria chamomilla L. (1753)

Synonyms

Lepidotheca Nutt.
Cotulina Pomel
Akylopsis Lehm.
Gama La Llave
Cenocline K.Koch
Lepidanthus Nutt.
Camomilla Gilib.
Courrantia Sch.Bip.
Sphaeroclinium (DC.) Sch.Bip.

References

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus II: 890. Reference page.

Links

International Plant Names Index. 2017. Matricaria. Published online. Accessed: Dec. 01 2017.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2017. Matricaria in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2017 Dec. 01. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2017. Matricaria. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 01 Dec. 2017.
Hassler, M. 2017. Matricaria. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2017. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2017 Dec. 01. Reference page.

Vernacular names
العربية: بابونج, زهور نبات البابونج, بابنوج
azərbaycanca: Çobanyastığı, Chamomilla, Mollabaşı
беларуская: Рамонак
български: Лайка, Медицинска лайка
буряад: Балжан гарма
català: Matricària
čeština: Heřmánek
чӑвашла: ниш куроке
dansk: Kamille
Deutsch: Kamillen
English: Mayweed
español: Manzanilla
eesti: Kesalill
suomi: Tuoksusauniot
Nordfriisk: Kamelen
français: Matricaire
עברית: בבונג, קמומיל
magyar: Székfű
հայերեն: երիցուկ
ქართული: გვირილა
қазақша: Түймедағы
한국어: 카밀레
лакку: КӀяла тӀутӀи, Кӏяла тӏутӏи
lietuvių: Ramunė
norsk bokmål: Balderbråer
Nedersaksies: Kemille
Plattdüütsch: Kamell
Nederlands: Kamille
norsk nynorsk: Kamilleblomslekta
polski: Rumianek
português: Matricária
русский: Ромашка
sicilianu: Agumidda
slovenčina: Rumanček
татарча/tatarça: Акбаш, Акчәчәк
удмурт: Тӧдьысяська
українська: Ромашка
oʻzbekcha/ўзбекча: Moychechak
中文: 母菊属

Matricaria is a genus of flowering plants in the chamomile tribe within the sunflower family.[3][4] Some of the species have the common name of "mayweed," but this name also refers to plants not in this genus.

Most are very common in the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and America, as well as in northern and southern Africa, and some are naturalised in Australia. Matricaria occidentalis is native to North America; other species have been introduced there.[5][6][7]

These are hardy, pleasantly aromatic annuals, growing along roadsides in ruderal communities and in fallow land rich in nutrients. Though many are considered nuisance weeds, they are suitable for rock gardens and herb gardens, and as border plants.

Their many-branched stems are prostrate to erect, glabrous, and very leafy. Their bipinnate leaves have numerous linear, narrowly lobed leaflets.[5]

The flowers are radially symmetrical. The greenish-yellow capitula are semi-spherical. The white ray florets can be present (M. recutita) or lacking (M. discoidea). The disc florets are 4- to 5-dentate. The receptacle is 2–3 times as high as wide. The pappus may be crown-shaped and short, or lacking.[5]

Matricaria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species (caterpillars) including lime-speck pug.

The extract of Matricaria recutita (German chamomile) is taken as a strong tea. It has been used in herbal medicine as a carminative and anti-inflammatory. It is also used in ointments and lotions, and as a mouthwash against infections of mouth and gums. Aromatherapy uses two essential oils of chamomile: the "true chamomile" oil (or German chamomile oil, from M. recutita) and the Roman chamomile oil (from Chamaemelum nobile).

The taxonomy of Matricaria is controversial and very confused. Several species are classified either in Tripleurospermum or Matricaria depending on the interpretation of the author. The distinction is made according to the number of the seed ribs: Tripleurospermum has one adaxial and two lateral seed ribs, while Matricaria has four or five adaxial seed ribs.[8]

Species[9][10]

Matricaria aserbaidshanica
Matricaria aurea
Matricaria australis
Matricaria brachyglossa
Matricaria breviradiata
Matricaria chamomilla
Matricaria courrantiana
Matricaria decipiens
Matricaria discoidea
Matricaria elongata
Matricaria grossheimii
Matricaria karjaginii
Matricaria lasiocarpa
Matricaria matricarioides
Matricaria occidentalis
Matricaria rupestris
Matricaria sevanensis
Matricaria subpolaris
Matricaria szowitzii
Matricaria tetragonosperma
Matricaria transcaucasica