Tree-independence number VII. Excluding a star

Abstract

We prove that for every fixed integer $s$ and every planar graph $H$, the class of $H$-induced-minor-free and $K_{1,s}$-induced-subgraph-free graphs has polylogarithmic tree-independence number. This is a weakening of a conjecture of Dallard, Krnc, Kwon, Milanič, Munaro, Štorgel, and Wiederrecht.