Kingdom: | Plantae
Clade: | Angiosperms
Clade: | Eudicots
Clade: | Asterids
Order: | Asterales
Family: | Asteraceae
Genus: | Matricaria
Species: | M. chamomilla

Matricaria chamomilla (synonym: Matricaria recutita), commonly known as chamomile (also spelled camomile), Italian camomilla, German chamomile, Hungarian chamomile (kamilla), wild chamomile or scented mayweed, is an annual plant of the composite family Asteraceae. M. chamomilla is the most popular source of the herbal product chamomile, although other species are also used as chamomile.

The word chamomile comes from the Greek χαμαίμηλον (chamaimēlon) meaning "earth-apple",^[which is derived from χαμαί (chamai) meaning "on the ground" and μήλον (mēlon) meaning "apple". It is so called because of the apple-like scent of the plant.
Chamomile blue refers to chamazulene, the purified, deep-blue essential oil derived using steam distillation, rather than the plant itself.

In Latin, one of the meanings of matrix is the womb; the name Matricaria was given to the genus because Matricaria chamomilla was widely used to treat such gynecologic complaints as menstrual cramps and sleep disorders related to premenstrual syndrome. Matricaria chamomilla has been found to contain fairly strong antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory constituents and is particularly effective in treating stomach and intestinal cramps.
M. chamomilla has a branched, erect and smooth stem, which grows to a height of 15–60 cm (6–23.5 in). The long and narrow leaves are bipinnate or tripinnate.The flowers are borne in paniculate flower heads (capitula). The white ray florets are furnished with a ligule, while the disc florets are yellow. The hollow receptacle is swollen and lacks scales. This property distinguishes German chamomile from corn chamomile (Anthemis arvensis), which has a receptacle with scales. The flowers bloom in early to midsummer, and have a strong, aromatic smell.

Chamomile is used in herbal medicine for a sore stomach, irritable bowel syndrome, and as a gentle sleep aid.^[10] It is also used as a mild laxative and is anti-inflammatory^[11] and bactericidal.^[12] It can be taken as an herbal tea, two teaspoons of dried flower per cup of tea, which should be steeped for 10 to 15 minutes while covered to avoid evaporation of the volatile oils. The marc should be pressed because of the formation of a new active principle inside the cells, which can then be released by rupturing the cell walls, though this substance only forms very close to boiling point. For a sore stomach, some recommend taking a cup every morning without food for two to three months.

One of the active ingredients of its essential oil is the terpene bisabolol.^[ Other active ingredients include farnesene, chamazulene, flavonoids(including apigenin, quercetin, patuletin and luteolin) and coumarin.^]

Dried chamomile has a reputation (among herbalists) for being incorrectly prepared because it is dried at a temperature above the boiling point of the volatile components of the plant.

A 2006 review of the medical literature reported a number of beneficial effects for chamomile in in vitro and animal tests, but added more human clinical trials are needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn. Research with animals suggests antispasmodic, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory and some antimutagenic and cholesterol-lowering effects for chamomile.

The climate is characterised by hot dry summers and humid, cool winters but it can also be notoriously capricious with sudden torrential downpours or bouts of high winds (eg. the Sirocco, the Mistral) occurring at various times of the year. These climatic conditions have a profound influence on the vegetation and wildlife of the region. So does its varied and contrasting topography – the Mediterranean Region offers an ever changing landscape of high mountains, rocky shores, impenetrable scrub, semi-arid steppes, coastal wetlands, sandy beaches and a myriad islands of various shapes and sizes dotted amidst the clear blue sea.
 Having escaped the last Ice Age, all these areas harbour their own special kind of wildlife and habitats. As a result, the Mediterranean has not only a very rich biodiversity but also a large number of species that exist here and nowhere else in the world. The rate of endemism is exceptionally high both on land and in the sea. Of the 25,000 flowering plants identified so far–representing around 10% of all known plants on earth – more than half are endemic to the region. Not surprisingly, the Mediterranean is considered one of the top biodiversity hotspots in the world. 

In Greece, as it was also the case of Spain, the frequency of heat waves in the ’90s was about three times higher than the one of the three previous decades. However, there are no signs of a similar reverse trend in the frequency of cold extremes. The data from both stations of Athens and Corfu present statistical important increasing trends with respect to the duration of heat waves, during the summer period as well as on annual basis, while the occurrence of cooling waves during winter as well as on annual basis becomes much less frequent. The time series from the other stations do not show a certain trend or they show negative trends with respect to the duration of heat waves .

In the eastern Mediterranean, the intensity, length and number of heat waves have increased by a factor of six to eight since the 1960s. 

Like anise, coriander, or kolianthro (koh-LEE-ahn-throh) is a member of the parsley family. Native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East, it's used as a medicine as well as in traditional Greek cooking. It has a strong, earthy flavor, but much of this is leached during the cooking process, leaving a more delicate taste. 

Technically, the word coriander can be used to describe the entire plant: leaves, stems, seeds, and all. When speaking of coriander, most people are referring to the spice produced from the seeds of the plant. The leaves of the plant are commonly called cilantro, which comes from the Spanish word for coriander.

The Enquiry into Plants was originally ten books, of which nine survive. The work is arranged into a system whereby plants are classified according to their modes of generation, their localities, their sizes, and according to their practical uses such as foods, juices, herbs, etc.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophrastus - cite_note-Long1842-43 The first book deals with the parts of plants; the second with the reproduction of plants and the times and manner of sowing; the third, fourth and fifth books are devoted to trees, their types, their locations, and their practical applications; the sixth deals with shrubs and spiny plants; the seventh deals with herbs; the eighth deals with plants which produce edible seeds; and the ninth deals with plants which produce useful juices, gums, resins, etc.

On the Causes of Plants was originally eight books, of which six survive. It concerns the growth of plants; the influences on their fecundity; the proper times they should be sown and reaped; the methods of preparing the soil, manuring it, and the use of tools; of the smells, tastes, and properties of many types of plants. The work deals mainly with the economical uses of plants rather than their medicinal uses, although the latter are sometimes mentioned. Although these works contain many absurd and fabulous statements, as a whole they have many valuable observations concerning the functions and properties of plants. Theophrastus detected the process of germination and realized the importance of climate and soil to plants.

Greece is endowed with a diverse flora, including unique, endemic and relict species such as Z. abelicea and Aethionema retsina, and there is enormous potential to raise public awareness of this national biological wealth. Botanic gardens, especially in or near major urban centres, are ideal venues for developing a range of environmental campaigns and outreach activities, supported by educational materials and interactive exhibitions.

A major coordinated effort is required to establish viable, representative and well-documented collections at botanic gardens, arboreta and other affiliated institutions in collaboration with forest services in Greece, and especially Crete. The Z. abeliceacollections cultivated in botanic gardens almost exclusively originate from the Levka Ori region (the most accessible area and the best-known occurrence of the species), therefore new collections based on plants from all other regions would significantly enhance the ex situ conservation value. Additionally, as the species is not present in any international seed bank, new seed collections should be undertaken. In particular, this should include collections from the small, highly isolated and threatened populations of Psiloritis, Dhikti and Thripiti, from where plant material has rarely, if ever, been collected for ex situ cultivation.