Tripleurospermum inodorum

Tripleurospermum inodorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Anthemideae
Genus:	Tripleurospermum
Species:	T. inodorum
Binomial name
Tripleurospermum inodorum (L.) Sch.Bip.
Synonyms
Matricaria inodora L. Matricaria perforata Mérat Tripleurospermum perforatum (Mérat) M.Laínz

Tripleurospermum inodorum, common names scentless false mayweed,^[1] scentless mayweed, scentless chamomile, wild chamomile, mayweed, false chamomile, and Baldr's brow, is the type species of Tripleurospermum. This plant is native to Eurasia and North Africa and is considered an invasive weed in North America.

Historically included the genus Matricaria, Tripleurospermum inodorum has been the subject of some controversy, with many revisions in recent years. The Flora Europaea uses Matricaria perforata for this species. Synonyms/other scientific names include Tripleurospermum perforatum (Mérat) Lainz, Tripleurospermum maritimum subsp. inodorum.

Mythology

In Sweden and Norway, it is called Baldr's brow, but in Iceland, it is the close relative Sea Mayweed (Matricaria maritima) that carries this name.^[2] In Gylfaginning, Snorri Sturluson explains that the name Balder's brow comes from the plants' whiteness:

Annarr sonr Óðins er Baldr, ok er frá honum gott at segja. Hann er svá fagr álitum ok bjartr svá at lýsir af honum, ok eitt gras er svá hvítt at jafnat er til Baldrs brár. Þat er allra grasa hvítast, ok þar eptir máttu marka fegrð hans bæði á hár ok á líki. Hann er vitrastr ása ok fegrst talaðr ok líknsamastr. En sú náttúra fylgir honum at engi má haldask dómr hans. Hann býr þar sem heita Breiðablik, þat er á himni. Í þeim stað má ekki vera óhreint[.][3]

The second son of Odin is Baldr, and good things are to be said of him. He is best, and all praise him; he is so fair of feature, and so bright, that light shines from him. A certain herb is so white that it is likened to Baldr's brow; of all grasses it is whitest, and by it thou mayest judge his fairness, both in hair and in body. He is the wisest of the Æsir, and the fairest-spoken and most gracious; and that quality attends him, that none may gainsay his judgments. He dwells in the place called Breidablik, which is in heaven; in that place may nothing unclean be[.][4]

References and footnotes

1. "Tripleurospermum perforatum". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
2. Den virtuella floran (in Swedish)
3. An online edition of the Old Norse text.
4. Brodeur's translation in English.

External links

Media related to Tripleurospermum inodorum at Wikimedia Commons