Meum athamanticum (Jacq) Spingel Meu
NOMENCLATURE
Meum: from Greek, Dioscordies.
athamanticum: after King, or Mount, Athamas.
OTHER NAMES: bald, (Norse) after Balder, a handsome god Skilenel, spiknel Buelminnie,
mickeri ,mui lcionn,mui lceaPn, mui lcionn, (Scot) Baidmoney, (Yks, West) Bawdringie,
(Perth) Hauka, (N'thum).
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE: tufted branched perennial. Hr. AROMA: aromatic of turpentine when crushed.
ROOTS: stock with abundant coarse fibourous remains of petioles. Roots parsnip like.
STEMS: hollow, striate. HEIGHT : 7-60cm.
UMBELS : compound, with 6-15 unequal, scabrid rays 1-5cm . Peduncle longer than rays,
papillose. Terminal umbel with hermaphrodite and few inner male flowers. Lateral mostly male.
LEAVES: basal, 3-4 pinnate segments, lanceolate to ovate. Divisions filiform, >or< whorled,
crowded, the lobes about 0.5 cm, petiole slender, expanded into largely scarious sheath at
base. Cauline small, few, petiole entirely sheathing.
BRACTS: 0 to few, linear to ovate, sometimes lobed, variable length. Bracteoles 3-8,
linear, shorter than pedicels, sometimes lobed.
FLOWERS: white, purplish. Calyx teeth 0. Petals acute, narrowed to base, short
inflexed point. Styles forming stylopodium. Fl. 5-6.
FRUIT: 6-10 mm. Ovoid, scarcely compressed commisure broad, mericrps with prominent thick
ridges, carpophore present, vittae 3-5 in each furrow. Pedicels 1-7 mm, papillose at the
angles. Styles longer than stylopodium, divergent or recurved. Stigma truncate. 2n=22.
HABITAT: grassy places, mountain districts.
DISTRIBUTION: native, 200m. A few localities in N. England, and N. Wales, Scotland to
Argyll & Aberdeen. Local W.& C. Europe to Sierra Nevada & C. Bulgaria.
EDIBLE USES
Roots as food in Highlands. Fresh/dried herb before/at flowering time, & roots, as condiment to
soups, stews, meat Crushed fresh herb rubbed into pork or lamb before cooking Adds an agreeable
taste to milk & butter in grazing cows.
http://www.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/~stueber/thome/band3/tafel_049_small.jpg