Chamamelum nobile

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chamomile
• Common Chamomile
• Roman Chamomile
• English chamomile
• Russian chamomile
• corn chamomile
• garden chamomile
• noble chamomile
• sweet chamomile

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ormenis nobilis
• Dendranthema parthenioides
• Anthemis chamomilla-romana
• Anthemis odorata
• Chamaemelum nobile f. duplicatum
• Chamaemelum nobile f. nudum
• Chrysanthemum partheniodes
• Anthemis apiifolia
• Chamaemelum nobile var. duplicatum
• Chamaemelum nobile var. nudum
• Matricaria nobilis
• Ormenis aurea
• Chamomilla nobilis
• Matricaria parthenioides
• Chamaemelum nobile f. discoideum
• Anthemis nobilis var. discoidea
• Chamaemelum nobile var. discoideum
• Ormenis santolinoides
• Anthemis nobilis var. multiplex
• Anthemis parthenioides
• Ormenis nobilis subsp. aurea
• Ormenis nobilis var. discoidea
• Anthemis nobilis
• Anthemis santolinoides
• Anthemis nobilis var. aurea

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known as Chamaemelum nobile, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Ultimately, it is situated within the genus Chamaemelum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species is also present in Austria and Belgium. Its range extends further into the central territories of Czechia and Slovakia. Together, these locations define the primary geographical spread of this medicinal species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Chamaemelum nobile is characterized by its preference for lowland environments, where it establishes itself within specific topographical niches. While often found in lower-lying regions, the species exhibits a notable altitudinal distribution, with an recorded mean elevation of 2620 m AMSL. This range suggests an ability to inhabit diverse terrains, spanning from coastal or valley lowlands to significant montane elevations, depending on the specific microclimate and soil composition available in its native range.

Elevational range mean:

2620 m AMSL

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Chamaemelum nobile is characterized by its perennial nature, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons. Its morphological strategy is defined by its status as a hemicryptophyte, where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or soil. While it can exhibit characteristics associated with a therophyte in certain environmental contexts, its primary growth habit ensures long-term survival through its perennial cycle. Additionally, the plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, retaining its foliage throughout much of the year to maximize photosynthetic potential.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Chamaemelum nobile is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a terrestrial, independent plant that does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.3 m, resulting in a mean height of approximately 0.225 m. Regarding its structural habit, the plant is self-supporting rather than acting as a liana or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.3 m

Plant height mean:

0.225 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Chamaemelum nobile is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a metabolic strategy common among many temperate medicinal plants for carbon fixation. Its vegetative architecture is defined by specialized leaf morphology, where the leaf length typically maintains a mean of 3.5 cm, though it can range from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 6 cm. Accompanying this longitudinal variation is a distinct leaf width profile, which exhibits a mean measurement of 0.95 cm. The width of the leaves is subject to significant morphological plasticity, fluctuating from a minimum of 0.4 cm to a maximum width of 1.5 cm, reflecting the plant's structural adaptations within its physiological framework.

Leaf length max:

6 cm

Leaf length mean:

3.5 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

1.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.95 cm

Leaf width min:

0.4 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Chamaemelum nobile involves both sexual and asexual mechanisms, with the sexual process characterized by bisexual flowers. The flowering period typically spans from June to July, though the timing can be variable. Pollination is driven by biotic factors, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome to facilitate fertilization, as self-fertilization is notably absent in this species. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fruits that are quite small, with a mean length of 0.1175 cm (ranging from a minimum of 0.12 cm to a maximum of 0.15 cm) and a consistent width of approximately 0.06 cm. These fruits are prolific, containing between 101 and 1000 seeds each. The seeds themselves are minute, possessing a mean mass of 0.0001065 g, with values ranging from a minimum of 0.00008 g to a maximum of 0.00012 g. Dispersal of the progeny is achieved through a hydrochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds or fruits are dispersed by water.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Jun

Fruit length max:

0.15 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.1175 cm

Fruit length min:

0.12 cm

Fruit width max:

0.06 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.00012 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0001065 g

Seed mass min:

8e-05 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Chamaemelum nobile has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chemicals

Chamaemelum nobile has 134 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Terpenoids, 1,8-Cineole, Chamazulene, Coumarins.

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Food chemistry
4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Terpenoids

1. Plant cell reports
2. BMC genomics
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant cell reports

Chamazulene

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant cell reports

Coumarins

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

FAT

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food chemistry

(E,E)-Farnesol

1. Plant cell reports

2,3-Dihydroxycinnamic acid

1. Dr. Duke

2-Methylbutyl 2-methylpropionate

1. Dr. Duke

2-Methylbutyl butyrate

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Chamaemelum nobile has 576 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Analgesic, Antibacterial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Food chemistry
5. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimicrobial

1. Infectious disorders drug targets
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Infectious disorders drug targets

Antidepressant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Sedative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmacological research communications

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Chamaemelum nobile has 9 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, breast carcinomas, cramps, dermatitis.

E. coli

1. Journal of food science

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1. Infectious disorders drug targets

Breast carcinomas

1. Food chemistry

Cramps

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Dermatitis

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hepatocellular carcinomas

1. Food chemistry

Treatment-resistant depression

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Wound infection

1. Infectious disorders drug targets

Wound infections

1. Infectious disorders drug targets

Preparations

Chamaemelum nobile has 4 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, Essential oils, ethyl acetate fraction, tea.

Essential oils

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Natural product research
3. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Pharmacological research communications

Essential oils

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethyl acetate fraction

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR

Tea

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine