Rosaceae - syn. Filipendula hexapetala Gilib., Spiraea filipendula L.; dropwort, fern-leaf dropwort, **Kleines Mädesüß**

Perennial herb, 30-60cm high, native to Europe, North Africa to Central Asia; leaves in a basal rosette and alternate on the stem, short-stalked or sitting, bipinnate; flowers with white, outside often somewhat reddish petals.

"Propagation is by seed and the division of the creeping roots. The tuberous roots and young leaves can be cooked as a vegetable or eaten raw as a salad. The taste is bitter sweet. Mature leaves smell of oil of wintergreen when crushed, due to the release of methyl salicylate." [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipendula_vulgaris]]

"The aerial parts of F. hexapetala yielded 0.1% (w/w) of yellowish oil... Thirty-one compounds were identified, representing 90.8% of the total oil. The main constituent was identified as hydrocarbon n-tricosane (17.9%). The oil was characterized by a high content of salicylic acid derivatives: salicylaldehyde (13.7%), benzyl salicylate (6.8%), and methyl salicylate (6.7%). Besides, n-nonanal (11.9%), 2-heptadecanone (6.2%), and linalool (5.2%) were present in significant amounts, while other constituents were in less than 5%." \\
[Essential oil of Filipendula hexapetala. M. Pavlovic, S. Petrovic, M. Ristic, Z. Maksimovic, and N. Kovacevic, Chemistry of Natural Compounds, Vol. 43 (2), 2007, 228-229] 

{{:filipendula_hexapetala.jpg?600}} \\
Filipendula vulgaris Moench as Filipendula hexapetala Gilib. \\
Lindman, C.A.M., Bilder ur Nordens Flora, vol.2 t.289 (1922-1926) \\
[[http://plantillustrations.org/species.php?id_species=440334]]


{{http://www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at/Bilder/Lumix_1/P1080471.JPG}} \\
Filipendula vulgaris flowers \\ © Rolf Marschner (2008),  
[[http://www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at/viewtopic.php?f=411&t=1154| www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at]]