Mayweeds & Chamomiles
What are they?
The compound heads of small yellow florets and outer ring of white petals show these plants to be members of the daisy and dandelion family - the Asteraceae. These are annuals or low-growing perennials, mostly with deeply cut leaves and often distinctive scents.
Where are they found?
These plants are mostly native or introduced annuals of open ground and can often grow in great abundance around the margins of arable fields and along tracksides and rough ground. Some are perennials of garden origin and may occasionally appear where garden waste has been dumped.
Identification
These plants are all rather similar in the general appearance of their foliage and flowers, so identification relies on very careful scrutiny of the flowers and seeds. Thus, non-flowering plants can be very difficult to identify, though familiarity with the various scents that they emit can be useful. As with many members of the Asteraceae, features of the phyllaries can be useful - those are the greenish bracts that surround the outside of the flowerhead. It can also be useful to open up a flowerhead to see if the base is solid or hollow, while a hand lens may be required to check for tiny bracts called scales that occur amongst the florets in some species.
Common Chamomile Chamaemelum nobile
Native in grassy places throughout the inhabited islands. Flowers June to July. Flowers June to July. Leaves green with relatively short and stout segments. Flowerheads solid inside at the base with the central disk only elongating a little at maturity. Many curved flowerhead scales present in the yellow flower disk. Phyllaries green in the centre with whitish margins. Seeds angled but not ribbed and without resin glands. Foliage pleasantly and strongly chamomile scented.
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Sea Mayweed Tripleurospermum maritimum
Native biennial or short-lived perennial. A coastal species, found in a variety of coastal habitats throughout most of the islands. Flowers June to September. Leaves bright green with relatively short and fleshy segments, adpated to cope with a salty environment. Flowerheads solid inside at the base with the central disk only elongating slightly at maturity. Flowerhead scales absent. Phyllaries green with darker margins. Seeds strongly three-ribbed and with two resin glands (appearing as dark, rounded spots towards the top). The foliage has no obvious scent to it.
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Scentless Mayweed Tripleurospermum inodorum
Introduced annual. Widespread on the inhabited islands except St Martin's. Flowers June to September. Leaves bright green with relatively long and narrow segments. Flowerheads solid inside at the base with the central disk only elongating slightly at maturity. Flowerhead scales absent. Phyllaries green with darker margins. Seeds strongly three-ribbed and with two resin glands (appearing as dark, rounded spots towards the top). As the name suggests, the foliage has no obvious scent to it.
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Scented Mayweed Matricaria chamomilla
Introduced annual. A weed of cultivation on the inhabited islands. Flowers June to August. Leaves bright green with narrow segments. Flowerheads hollow inside at the base with the central disk elongating markedly at maturity into a tall dome and the white petals reflexing downwards. Flowerhead scales absent. Phyllaries green, rather narrow and with dark tips. Seeds with four to five ribs and without resin glands. Foliage sweetly scented.
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Stinking Chamomile Anthemis cotula
Introduced annual. Once a weed of cultivation on the islands but not recorded in recent years. Flowers July to September. Leaves green with segments that are a little broader than those of the mayweeds. Flowerheads solid inside at the base with the central disk not elongating at maturity. Flowerhead scales present towards the centre of the flower disk, narrow. Phyllaries green in the centre with whitish margins and with white hairs. Seeds with eight to 11, bumpy ribs and without resin glands. Foliage unpleasantly scented.
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Scentless Mayweed (left) |
narrow flowerhead scales |
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Corn Chamomile Anthemis arvensis
Introduced annual. No recent records but, in recent years, this species has been included in 'wildflower mixes' and may be found in sown conservation strips along with poppies, Cornflower, Corn Marigold and Corncockle. Flowers May to August. Leaves usually with rather dense, whitish hairs, giving them a grey-green look. Flowerheads solid inside at the base with the central disk not elongating at maturity. Flowerhead scales present in the yellow flower disk, a little broader than those of Stinking Chamomile. Phyllaries green in the centre with whitish margins and dense, white hairs. Seeds with nine to 10, smooth ribs and without resin glands. Foliage pleasantly scented.
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Sicilian Chamomile Anthemis punctata subsp. cupaniana
Introduced perennial. Rare as a garden escape with records from St Martin's and Tresco. Flowers June to July. Leaves with a dense covering of whitish hairs, giving them a silver-grey look. Flowerheads solid inside at the base with the central disk not elongating at maturity. Flowerhead scales present in the yellow flower disk, with a three-pronged, dark brown tip. Phyllaries green in the centre with brown margins. Seeds smooth, only slightly ribbed and without resin glands. Foliage lightly scented.
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Pineappleweed Matricaria discoidea
Originally introduced as a weed from mainland Europe, but now widespread and well-established on well-walked tracks, paths and cracks in roads and paving. Flowers more or less throughout the year. Flowerheads pointed at the top like little pineapples, with the whole plant also having a pineapple scent if crushed, especially in warmer weather.
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