I received this information some years ago from Michael Autengruber of Kuenker, "the lack of the green cross of the star is a special division of the order named “for general merit”, instituted in 1892. The insignia of this division, that consists in the four grades grand cross, commander with star, commander and knight 1st class, is a order’s cross without the rues between the cross arms, and the grand cross star is without the green arms. These insignia are quite rare to find compared to the normal ones, and with the stars there doesn’t exist the problems with fakes." Paul