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Chamomile species is spread over Europe, North Africa and the temperate parts of Asia. Chamomile is one of the oldest preferences garden herbs. It having been grown for centuries in English gardens for its use as a common domestic medicine to such an expanse that the old herbals. No plant was better known to the country folk of old.
Common Chamomile ( Anthemis nobilis ) is a low-growing plant, creeping or trailing, its tufts of leaves and flowers a foot high. The root is perennial, jointed and fibrous, the stems, hairy and freely branching, are refuged with leaves which are divided into thread-like segments, the fineness of which gives the whole plant a feathery appearance. The burgeons appear in the later days of summer, from the end of July to September, and are borne solitary on long, erect stalks, drooping when in bud.
With their outer periphery of white ray-florets and yellow centres, they are remarkably like the daisy. There are some eighteen white rays arranged round a conical centre, botanically known as the receptacle, on which the yellow, tubular florets are placed- the centre of the daisy is, however, substantially flatter than that of the Chamomile.
Chamomilla has a large range of actions. It is used in the treatment of insomnia, disquietude and nervous tension, for the relief of spasmodic pain such as dysmenorrhoea or migraine. Chamomilla has a dignity as a ‘female' herb and has been used to relieve morning sickness, menopausal symptoms, dysmenorrhoea, mastitis, amenorrhoea with a psychological component (e.g. anorexia nervosa), and hysteria. Chamomilla has a traditional use on the Continent in the treatment of asthma and hayfever, typically because of the herb's action on the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract.
Chamomiles have a tiny, raillery scale between each two florets. The fruit is small and dry, and as it forms, the hill of the receptacle gets more and more conical. The whole plant is flossy and greyishgreen in colour. Chamomile, of which our tea is great instance, continue to come from Egypt. Small flies are the chief insect-visitors to the flowers.
Chamomile is occassionally known as "the plant doctor", because it is thought to help the growth and health of many other plants, especially ones that produce essential oils. Chamomile "tea" is also supposed to be useful to suppress fungal growth. Chamomile tea: Pour 5 ounces (about one-half cup) of boiling water over 3 grams (about 3 teaspoonfuls) of Chamomile. Cover for 5 to 10 minutes and strain. Chamomile is also used cosmetically, chiefly to make a rinse for blonde hair.
Chamomile used in olden days to be looked upon as the 'Plant's Physician,' and it has been stated that nothing conduces so much to the health of a garden as a number of Chamomile herbs dispersed about it, and that if another plant is drooping and sickly, in nine cases out of ten. German Chamomile is used medicinally against sore stomach, petulant bowel syndrome , and as a gentle sleep aid. It can be taken as an herbal tea, two teaspoons of dried flower per cup of tea. For a sore stomach, some adviced taking a cup every morning without food for two to three months.
Chamomiles herb is used primarily for making herb beers, but also for a lotion, for external application in toothache, earache, neuralgia, etc. One ounce of the dried herb is infused in 1 pint of boiling water and loosened to cool. The herb has also been employed in hot fomentations in cases of local and intestinal inflammation.
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