Eryngium maritimum L. - Apiaceae - sea holly, **Stranddistel**, Strand-Mannstreu

Native to the atlantic coasts of Europe, Baltic sea, Mediterranean, Black sea; 20-60 cm high.

"The blue-green leaves are lobed palmate. The whitish leaf margin is wavy in itself. It forms several prongs which go into a long, sharp thorns. The entire plant is frosted with a layer of wax to bluish white." [[http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eryngium_maritimum]]

"In Elizabethan times in England, these plants were believed to be a strong aphrodisiac. They are named in a speech by Falstaff (Act 5, scene v, "The Merry Wives of Windsor", William Shakespeare)" [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eryngium_maritimum]]

"With germacrene D (13.7–45.9%), three uncommon oxygenated sesquiterpenes, 4βH-cadin-9-en-15-al (18.4–27.6%), 4βH-cadin-9-en-15-ol (2.2–14.3%) and 4βH-muurol-9-en-15-al (4.3–9.3%), were identified as main components of the essential oils obtained from the plant aerial parts. Relative to these, essential oils from the roots differed drastically with high contents of 2,4,5-trimethylbenzaldehyde (39.8%), 2,3,6-trimethylbenzaldehyde (29.0%) and α-muurolene (23.5%)." \\
[Chemical variability and antioxidant activity of Eryngium maritimum L. essential oils from Corsica and Sardinia (pages 3–13)
Florent Darriet, Stéphane Andreani, Marie-Cécile De Cian, Jean Costa and Alain Muselli, Flavour and Fragrance Journal, Vol.29 (1), 2014, 3-13] [[http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ffj.3160/full]]

{{http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Eryngium_maritimum_%E2%80%94_Flora_Batava_%E2%80%94_Volume_v2.jpg/640px-Eryngium_maritimum_%E2%80%94_Flora_Batava_%E2%80%94_Volume_v2.jpg}} \\
[Christiaan Sepp, Flora Batava, Vol.2, 1807]

{{http://www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at/Bilder/Lumix_93/P1200095.JPG}} \\
Eryngium maritimum, Botanischer Garten der Universität Wien \\ © Rolf Marschner (2018),  
[[http://botanische-spaziergaenge.at/viewtopic.php?f=574&t=4859| www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at]]