matricaria
/ˌmatrɪˈkɛːrɪə/noun
1The plant feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium.
- The name matricaria, though no longer botanically correct, is sometimes still used by gardeners for cultivated varieties of Tanacetum parthenium..
2In form Matricaria. A genus of Eurasian plants of the family Asteraceae (Compositae), mostly having white ray florets and yellow discs, which includes wild chamomile, Matricaria recutita, and the pineapple weed, M. discoidea; (also matricaria) a plant of this genus.
- Valid publication of the genus name: Linnaeus Species Plantarum (1753) II. 890, after J. Pitton de Tournefort Inst. Rei Herbariae (1700) I. 493. Linnaeus included feverfew in his genus Matricaria, as M. parthenium..
Origin
Mid 17th century; earliest use found in John Evelyn (1620–1706), diarist and writer. From post-classical Latin matricaria feverfew, mugwort from classical Latin mātrīc-, mātrīx + -āria. Compare Spanish matricaria, Italian matricaria, Middle French, French matricaire, Portuguese matricária, and post-classical Latin matricalis, applied to the herb vervain.