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Filipendula
ulmaria (L.) Maxim. Standardized Common
Name: Meadowsweet
Other Common Name: Queen-of-the-Meadow
Family: Rosaceae
Taxonomy: There are about
fifteen species in Filipendula, mostly Asian. F. ulmaria is one
of two European species and is naturalized in North America, where there are
also two native species. The basionym is Spiraea ulmaria L. A number of
synonyms and subspecific names have been generated by the variability of the
leaf shape and pubescence. Two subspecies are recognized in the most recent
treatment: subsp. ulmaria is the typical and most widespread form,
whereas subsp. denudata (J. & C. Presl) Hayek includes a broad
spectrum of plants with reduced leaf pubescence.
Description: Perennial herb to 2
m tall; stems branched or unbranched, often reddish. Leaves alternate,
stipulate, pinnately compound with up to 5 pairs of lateral leaflets widely
separated on rachis, with pairs of tiny irregularly shaped leaflets borne
between them; lateral leaflets 2–8 cm long, ovate to ovate-oblong, unlobed or
with shallow serrate lobes; terminal leaflet 3–12 cm long, 3–5-lobed. Leaflet
apices broadly to narrowly acute or acuminate; bases of lateral leaflets
rounded to cuneate, bases of terminal leaflets cordate; margins more or less
biserrate; lower surface white woolly-pubescent or green and sparsely
pubescent. Inflorescence paniculiform, many-flowered, lax, variable in shape.
Pedicels pubescent; sepals 5, reflexed, pubescent; petals 5 (rarely 6), whitish
or yellowish white, 2–5 mm long, basally narrowed; stamens numerous, longer
than petals; carpels 5–8(–12), separate, glabrous. Fruits achenes, 2–3(–3.5) mm
long, twisted, glabrous.
Parts
in Commerce:
Aboveground parts at flowering (especially leaves and flowers) or flowers alone
Identification:
Leaves
- Stems
longitudinally striated or ridged, at least the larger stems hollow
- Leaves pinnately
compound, stipulate
- 2–5 pairs of
lateral leaflets, widely separated on rachis, with tiny irregularly shaped
mini-leaflets borne on the rachis between the pairs of leaflets
- Lateral leaflets
ovate, 2–7(–9) cm long, unlobed or occasionally with shallow serrate
lobes; venation pinnate
- Lateral leaflet
bases rounded to cuneate, often somewhat asymmetrical, sessile on rachis
- Terminal leaflet
deeply 3–5-lobed, usually larger than lateral leaflets (3–12 cm long,
breadth often equal to or exceeding length)
- Terminal leaflet
with basal palmate veins to lobes; secondary venation pinnate; first pair
of lateral veins surrounded by blade tissue, not running along lower leaf
margin
- Leaflet apices
broadly to narrowly acute, rarely acuminate
- Leaflet margins
more or less biserrate
- Upper surface of
leaves dark green, glabrous
- Lower surface of
leaves pubescent with curly white hairs, usually densely pubescent and
appearing whitish (subsp. denudata is sparsely pubescent with
straight hairs especially along veins)
Flowers
- Flowers usually
4–7.5 mm in diameter
- Pedicels and
outer surface of sepals more or less softly pubescent
- Petals 5, 2–3(–5)
mm long, white to cream or yellowish white, narrowed at base
- Stamens numerous
- Carpels
separate, 5–12
- Achenes, if
present, twisted and glabrous, not >4 mm long
Adulterants: Wichtl suggests that
confusion with Sambucus nigra L. (European Elder, cf.) can occur
when flowers alone are used. The flowers of S. nigra are of similar
color and size, but have fused petals, a single inferior ovary rather than
separate carpels, and only five stamens, which are fused basally to the
corolla.
The second European species of Filipendula,
F. vulgaris Moench, has leaves with more numerous (7+ pairs) and smaller
(<2 cm long) leaflets. Its flowers normally have 6 petals, which are >5
mm long and have purple-tinged lower surfaces. The most similar North American
species is F. rubra (Hill) Robins., which has pink petals; the leaves
are not woolly-pubescent, the lateral leaflets are conspicuously lobed, and the
terminal leaflet has 7 or more lobes. In both of these, and in several of the
Asian species, the basal portions of the first pair of lateral veins in the
terminal leaflet are not surrounded by leaf tissue, but run along the lower
margin of the leaf.
References:
Ball PW. Filipendula. In: Tutin TG, Heywood VH, Burges NA, et al.,
eds. Flora Europaea. Vol. 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press; 1972:6–7.
Schanzer IA. Taxonomic revision of the genus Filipendula
Mill. (Rosaceae). J Jpn Bot. 1994;69:290–319.
Wichtl M, ed. Herbal Drugs and
Phytopharmaceuticals, 3rd English
ed. Stuttgart: medpharm Scientific Publishers and Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press;
2004:587–589.
Figure 27: a–b, Filipendula ulmaria leaf and flower.
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