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- Anthemis arvensis
Anthemis arvensis — corn chamomile
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Facts
Corn chamomile is native to Europe and was introduced to North America in the late 19th century. It is a weed of crops and pasture, and can form dense stands that exclude other vegetation. Corn chamomile produces abundant seeds that can persist in the soil for a decade or longer.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
-
- pink to red
- white
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 15–35 mm
- Flower head width
- Up to 40 mm
- Disk flower number
- more than 50
-
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
- Bract cycle number
-
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- there are two main cycles of bracts
- Bract outer side hair type
-
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces, with curled, tangled, matted, or woolly hairs
- the bracts are hairy, with simple hairs on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract separation
- the bracts appear completely unconnected to one another on all flower heads
- Bract shape
-
- the main bracts are oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
- the main bracts are obovate (roughly egg-shaped, but widest near the tip)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract texture
- the bracts appear thin, flexible and nearly translucent
- Bract tip color
- the tips are a different color from the center of the bract
- Bract tip orientation
- the bracts are pressed against the plant, or spreading out at the tips
- Bract tip shape
- the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
- Bracts
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
- Disk flower color
-
- blue to purple
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
- more than 50
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Disk width
- 5–10 mm
- Flower head number
- each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
- Flower head platform
- the base has papery scales on it
- Flower head position
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
- Flower head profile
-
- the disk is conical across the top
- the disk is rounded across the top
- Flower head shape
-
- the flower head is hemispherical (like the bottom half of a sphere)
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
- Flower head width
- Up to 40 mm
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
- NA
- Inflorescence stem
- hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 21–35
- Ovary beak
- there is no beak on the ovary
- Ovary cross-section
-
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- the ovary is roughly square or with four corners
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
-
- there are four to six lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- there are no lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- there are seven to nine ribs visible on the ovary
- there are ten or more ribs visible on the ovary
- there are three lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- there are two lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- there is one line or rib visible on the ovary
- Ovary profile
-
- in profile, the ovary is another shape
- in profile, the ovary is roughly egg-shaped, but widest above the middle
- Ovary surface
- the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles, though it may have lines, ribs or wings
- Peduncle hair type
-
- NA
- the hairs on the peduncles are simple (not branched), don’t have glands, and are not woolly
- Peduncle hairs
-
- the peduncles are hairy
- the peduncles have no hairs
- Peduncle length
- 40–150 mm
- Ray flower color
-
- pink to red
- white
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
-
- 1-5
- 11-15
- 16-25
- 6-10
- Ray length
- 5–15 mm
- Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- the scales are acuminate (taper to a very narrow point) or aristate (tipped with a slender bristle)
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is no smaller, outer cycle of bracts
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Style branches
- the style branch is wider at the tip and has a flattened end, or the style branches are wider at the tips and have flattened ends
- Swelling at base of flower head
- NA
- Width of flower head base
- 6–13 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
-
- 0
- 1
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 1.7–2 mm
- Seed hair tuft bases
- NA
- Seed hair tuft color
- NA
- Seed hair tuft details
- NA
- Seed hair tuft length
- 0 mm
- Seed hair tuft tips
- NA
- Seed hairs uniform
- NA
- Seed tuft scale number
- 0
- Seed tuft type
-
- the pappus is made of a circle or rim of lobes or teeth on the ovary
- there is no pappus on the ovary
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
-
Glands or sap
- Leaf blade glands
- the leaf blades have no glandular (translucent) dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is annual, it lacks evidence of previous years' growth
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
-
Leaves
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
-
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
-
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- Leaf blade hairs
-
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- the leaf blade has tangled or woolly-looking hairs
- Leaf blade length
- 15–35 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 8–16 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk length
- At least 0 mm
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Specific leaf type
-
- the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis
- the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis, and each lobe itself has rows of lobes on each side of the lobe's central axis
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of an odor
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem bloom
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem internode hair direction
-
- the hairs are pressed flat against the plant, pointing either towards the plant's tip or towards it's base
- the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
- Stem internode hair type
-
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem internode hairs
-
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem wings
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Anthemis arvensis L. E
corn chamomile. Anthemis arvensis L. var. agrestis (Wallr.) DC. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Fields, roadsides, disturbed soil.
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
- Anthemis cotula:
- receptacle with chaff only near the middle of the disk, ray flowers staminate or neutral, and plants ill scented (vs. A. arvensis, with the receptacle with chaff throughout the disk, ray flowers carpellate, and plants not ill scented).
Synonyms
- Anthemis arvensis L. var. agrestis (Wallr.) DC.