Israel wildflowers: Negev Chamomile

Anthemis melampodina, Negev Chamomile,
Hebrew: קחוון הנגב, Arabic: الأربيان أسود القدم

Scientific name:   Anthemis melampodina Delile
Common name:   Negev Chamomile
Hebrew name:   קחוון הנגב
Arabic name:   الأربيان أسود القدم
Family:   Compositae / Asteraceae, מורכבים


Life form:   Therophyte, annual
Stems:   15-25 cm tall, pubescent or tomentose herb with ascending branches from near the base
Leaves:   Alternate, dissected twice or more
Flowers:   White ray petals, yellow disc
Fruits / pods:   Cypselas tuberculate
Flowering Period:   March, April
Habitat:   Shrub-steppes, Desert
Distribution:   Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Deserts and extreme deserts
Chorotype:   Saharo-Arabian
Summer shedding:   Ephemeral


Derivation of the botanical name:

Anthemis. Chamomile. From Greek chamos, “ground”, melos, “apple.” Anthemis is the Greek name for this plant which has a long history, as a flavoring herb and in medicine.

melampodina, melas, μελαϛ, black, dark; “black foot”.
The Hebrew word: קחוון, kahvan from Arabic, أقحوان,’aqhawan, קחואן.

  • The standard author abbreviation Delile is used to indicate Alire Raffeneau Delile (1778–1850), botanist.