mead wort

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• elm queen-of-the-meadow
• meadowsweet
• queen-of-the-meadow
• white queen-of-the-meadow
• European Meadowsweet
• Queen of the Meadow

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Spiraea ulmaria

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Rosales, it is a member of the Rosaceae family. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Filipendula.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely distributed across several regions within Northern Europe. Its presence is well-documented in the country of Denmark. Additionally, it can be found growing naturally in Finland. The species is also native to the islands of Great Britain and Iceland. Finally, it maintains a stable population throughout Ireland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Filipendula ulmaria is characterized by its preference for highly diverse and moisture-rich environments, thriving in habitats such as cut-over forests, forest edges, lakes, wet meadows, rivers, shrubberies, and swamps. This species is notably adapted to various hydrological conditions, ranging from riparian zones to marshy terrains. Its altitudinal distribution is significant, occupying a specific montane niche with a mean elevation of 1800 m AMSL. The species can be found at minimum elevations of 1200 m AMSL and reaches its upper limit at a maximum elevation of 2400 m AMSL, demonstrating a specialized capacity to inhabit varying subalpine or montane ecological zones.

Elevational range max:

2400 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

1200 m AMSL

Habitat :

cut-over forest, forest edges, lakes, meadows: wet, rivers, shrubberies, swamps

Life history

The life history of Filipendula ulmaria is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, ensuring its long-term persistence within its ecosystem through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or seasonal debris, which allows it to survive unfavorable conditions. The plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage annually as it transitions through its seasonal cycles. This combination of a perennial lifecycle, a hemicryptophytic life form, and deciduous growth patterns dictates its rhythmic emergence and dormancy in response to environmental changes.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Filipendula ulmaria is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, functioning as a self-supporting plant that does not require climbing structures. It is an independent species that does not act as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a terrestrial lifestyle. The plant exhibits a variable height, typically ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 2 m, with an average height of approximately 0.896 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

0.896 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Filipendula ulmaria is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common adaptation for plants thriving in temperate, moist environments. As a non-carnivorous species, it relies entirely on its root system and soil nutrients rather than the capture of insects. The plant exhibits significant morphological variation in its foliage, with an average leaf size of approximately 102.345 cm² and leaf lengths reaching a maximum of 6 cm. Furthermore, its leaf structure is defined by a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 243 cm²/g, reflecting its resource allocation strategies and its capacity for gas exchange and light interception within its natural habitat.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

6 cm

Leaf size mean:

102.345 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

243 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Filipendula ulmaria is primarily sexual, characterized by bisexual flowers that facilitate the production of offspring. The flowering period typically commences in June and extends through August. The pollination process is biotic in nature, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome with a strong reliance on bees. Interestingly, self-fertilization is noted as absent in this species, emphasizing the importance of these insect vectors for successful fertilization. Following pollination, the plant produces fruit in the form of an achene. These fruits are indehiscent, meaning they do not split open at maturity to release seeds. The resulting seeds are quite small, with a minimum mass of 0.0003 g, a mean mass of 0.000755 g, and a maximum mass of 0.00099 g. For the spread of the species, it employs an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on the wind to transport its lightweight seeds. Asexual reproduction is absent in this plant, making its sexual cycle the sole method for population expansion and genetic diversity.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.00099 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000755 g

Seed mass min:

3e-04 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Filipendula ulmaria has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, leaf.

Flower

1. Farmakologiia i toksikologiia

Leaf

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Filipendula ulmaria has 60 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, salicylic acid, Tannin, heparin, quercetin.

Flavonoids

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Planta medica
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

salicylic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Tannin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Annales pharmaceutiques francaises

heparin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Farmakologiia i toksikologiia
3. Izvestiia Akademii nauk SSSR. Seriia biologicheskaia

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

kaempferol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

p-coumaric acid

1. Scientific reports
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

rosmarinic acid

1. Scientific reports
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Filipendula ulmaria has 390 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticoagulant, Antibacterial, Antibiotic, Antimicrobial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Acta biochimica Polonica

Anticoagulant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Farmakologiia i toksikologiia
3. Izvestiia Akademii nauk SSSR. Seriia biologicheskaia

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibiotic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

Antimicrobial

1. Acta biochimica Polonica
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Antirheumatic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Filipendula ulmaria has 10 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, cervical dysplasia, diabetes mellitus, elastase, hepatocellular carcinoma.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations