Chamomile (American English) or camomile (British English; see spelling differences) (/ˈkæməmaɪl, -miːl/ KAM-ə-myle or KAM-ə-meel) is the common name for several daisy-like plants of the family Asteraceae. Two of the species, Matricaria chamomilla and Chamaemelum nobile, are commonly used to make herbal infusions for beverages. There has been limited (though thus far insufficient) research as to whether consuming chamomile in foods or beverages is effective in treating medical conditions.
The word chamomile is derived via French and Latin, from the Greek χαμαίμηλον, khamaimēlon, 'earth apple', from χαμαί, khamai, 'on the ground', and μῆλον, mēlon, 'apple'.First used in the 13th century, the spelling chamomile corresponds to the Latin chamomilla and the Greek chamaimelon. The spelling camomile is a British derivation from the French.
Some commonly used species include:
Matricaria chamomilla – often called "German chamomile" or "Water of Youth"
Chamaemelum nobile – Roman, English, or garden chamomile; also frequently used (C. nobile Treneague is normally used to create a chamomile lawn)
A number of other species' common names include the word chamomile. This does not necessarily mean they are used in the same manner as the species used in the herbal tea known as "chamomile". Plants including the common name chamomile, of the family Asteraceae, are:
Anthemis arvensis – corn, scentless or field chamomile
Anthemis cotula – stinking chamomile
Cladanthus mixtus – Moroccan chamomile
Cota tinctoria – dyer's, golden, oxeye, or yellow chamomile
Eriocephalus punctulatus – Cape chamomile
Matricaria discoidea – wild chamomile or pineapple weed
Oncosiphon pilulifer – globe chamomile
Tripleurospermum inodorum – wild, scentless or false chamomile