A. arvensis
         C. segetum
         C. spinosum
         P. dysenterica
         S. asper
         T. hybridum
         T. porrifolius

___________________

Unless otherwise noted, all pictures on this site were taken in Pelion, Greece, shown on the map below.

___________________

View images of the Common Toad, an ugly, bulky, but really sweet creature with an interesting... nightlife.

  Veggie of the Month

Learn about the Salsify, a beautiful plant, with edible and medicinal properties, that is currently blooming in Pelion.

  Cool Destination

Visit Mourtias, one of Pelion's most picturesque beaches on the Aegean coast.

  Exciting Site

Tour the Volos Archaeological Museum, a pretty century-old building, whose exhibits span a historical period of over 10 millennia!

  Month's Wallpaper

Download a fantastic picture of a rickety jetty in Lefokastron, Pelion, taken by Huw Jones.

Loading image. Please wait Corn Chamomile (Anthemis arvensis) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos Corn Chamomile (Anthemis arvensis) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos Corn Chamomile (Anthemis arvensis) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos Corn Chamomile (Anthemis arvensis) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos Corn Chamomile (Anthemis arvensis) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos

Corn Chamomile

Anthemis arvensis

This plant is a very variable, short to medium, hairy, aromatic annual. Its stems are much-branched from the base, with side branches longer from the main stem. The leaves are finely divided with narrow, parallel-sided segments, pointed at the tips and have a pleasant, chamomile-like scent. The flowers, as in all members of the Compositae family, are, actually, compound flower heads, made up of numerous small florets and resemble a Daisy. Flower heads are between 20 and 40mm (4/5 – 1 3/5 in), with white rays and a yellow disk. Flower bracts often sport brown, papery margins.

According to "Plants for a Future", the Corn Chamomile species is considered to be one of the best  febrifuge species, indigenous to France. Parts of the plant that are used to that end, include flowers and leaves.

The "HYpermedia for Plant Protection" site also states that the plant and flowers are used for feverishness (contains an alkaloid). It also adds that the plant is  vermifuge and  resolvent, used in gargle.

Finally, "Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases" state that parts of the plant are used for the treatment of cancer and fever. According to the same source, the Corn Chamomile is resolvent,  tonic and vermifuge.

By the way, it is interesting to note that the word Chamomile, is derived from the Greek words "chamai", meaning "on the ground", and "melon", meaning "apple", so called because of the applelike scent of the plant. In effect, therefore, the Chamomile can be literally translated as "ground apple". As already mentioned, I'm pretty sure this is a Corn Chamomile, judging from its leaves, but I'm not 100% positive. So, if you have any suggestions, kindly drop me a line.

Top

Fact Sheet

Type of plant
Short to medium, hairy, aromatic annual.

Flowering Season
April - July.

Known Hazards
None known.

Known Uses
Used to treat fever. Also has resolvent, tonic and vermifuge properties. "Plants for a Future" rate it 0 out of 5 for edibility and 2 out of 5 for medicinal uses (min. 0, max. 5).

Habitat
Cultivated, fallow and waste ground, roadsides and pathways.

Distribution
Throughout the Mediterranean region, excluding Cyprus.

Top

Taxonomy


Kingdom: Plantae (Plants); Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular plants); Superdivision: Spermatophyta (Seed plants); Division: Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants); Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons); Subclass: Asteridae; Order: Asterales; Family: Compositae or Asteraceae (Daisy or Sunflower family); Genus: Anthemis (Chamomiles); Species: arvensis

Top

Acknowledgments

The following sources have been used in preparing this page:

• BLAMEY, M., GREY-WILSON, C. 1993. Collins Guide to the Mediterranean Wild Flowers. Domino Books, Jersey. (See detailed review)
• "Plants for a Future"
• "HYpermedia for Plant Protection"
• "Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases"

Top