''Astrantia maxima'', (largest masterwort), is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae. Growing to tall by broad, it is an

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennial, used in gardens. It is

hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, Sout ...

to USDA Zone: 4-9. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

Description

''Astrantia maxima'' reaches on average of height. The stem is erect and glabrous, with little branches and few leaves. The basal leaves have a long petiole , 3 to 7 lobes and toothed segments. Size: . The cauline (borne on the stem as opposed to basal) leaves are generally two, sessile, amplexicaul and lanceolate-shaped with a trilobed apex. The inflorescence is umbrella-shaped, in diameter. The floral bracts are numerous (10 - 20), long, pinkish (sometimes white) with acuminate apex. The small flowers are pinkish-white. The central ones are

hermaphrodite In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite () is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes. Many Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic groups of animals (mostly invertebrate ...

, while the external ones are male. The flowering period extends from May to July.

Reproduction

''Astrantia maxima'' is an entomophilous plant, mainly pollinated by beetles, but also by other insects. This perennial plant reproduces itself also by means of buds present at the ground level. The plant can also be grown from seed for garden usage. The seeds require a 2-3 month period of cold stratification for germination to take place.

Taxonomy

It was found by botanist Peter Simon Pallas in 1790. It was first published and described by Pallas in 'Nova Acta Acad. Sci. Imp. Petrop. Hist. Acad.' Vol.7 on page 357 in 1793. It was also previously known as the 'hellebore-leaved masterwort'.Sims, John.

Etymology

The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''maxima'', meaning "largest", distinguishes this species from its smaller relatives ''

Astrantia minor ''Astrantia minor'', the lesser masterwort, is a species of herbaceous plant belonging to the family of Apiaceae. It is native within Europe, to the countries of France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. It is clump-forming herbaceous perennial. De ...

'' and

Astrantia major ''Astrantia major'', the great masterwort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to central and eastern Europe. Growing up to tall by broad, it is an herbaceous perennial, much used in gardens. Etymology The Lati ...

Distribution and habitat

These plants, native to Europe, are widespread in the Caucasus. They have been grown in the British Isles since 1804. In Turkey, they are common in woodlands and lush meadows, at an altitude of above sea level. Also common in Turkey is the subspecies ''Astrantia maxima Pallas subsp. haradjianii''.

Cultivation

''Astrantia maxima'' grows well in the garden, given some shade and moisture. Its flowerheads provide summer colour in shades of red, pink and white. It is also rabbit resistant. It is rated for hardiness, USDA zones 5 to 9.

Cultivars

* ''Astrantia major'' 'Hadspen Blood' is a hybrid of ''

'' and ''A. maxima''. * ''Astrantia maxima'' 'Mark Fenwick', listed on some nurseries and recently onto the RHS Catalogue. * ''Astrantia maxima'' 'Rosea', listed on some nurseries but not on RHS Catalogue.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15545443 Apioideae Flora of Europe Plants described in 1793