Matricaria chamomilla
wild chamomile
Asteraceae (Aster family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Robert Flogaus-Faust     (Photo ID #64109)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Matricaria chamomilla
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Annual aromatic herbs from a fibrous root; stems erect, simple, branched, glabrous, 8-20 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves soon deciduous; stems leaves alternate, 1-3 times divided into short, linear-threadlike segments, 2-6 cm long, glabrous.
Flowers:
Heads with ray and disk flowers, several, mostly terminal on the upper branches; involucres 2.5-3 mm tall; involucral bracts subequal, mostly oblong, obtuse or rounded at the tips, with a broad, papery margin; ray flowers white, 10-22, 4-10 mm long; disk flowers yellow, many, about 1 mm long, 5-toothed; receptacles narrowly conic, 3.5-4 mm tall.
Fruits:
Achenes asymmetric, 1.5-2 mm long, smooth except for 5 narrow, winglike ribs; pappus lacking or sometimes a minute, short crown.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Matricaria chamomilla

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
5 5 5
Slope Gradient (%)
40 40 40

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

359 359 359
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
1 1 1
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
A
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
1
Modal BEC Zone Class
CWH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

CWH(1)

Habitat and Range

Dry roadsides and disturbed areas in the lowland zone; rare in SW BC, known only from the lower Fraser Valley; introduced from Europe and N. Asia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Matricaria recutita L.