''Astrantia maxima'', (largest masterwort), is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

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 ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

, used in gardens. It is hardy to

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...

Zone: 4-9. It has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

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

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 A hermaphrodite () is a sexually reproducing organism that produces both male and female gametes. Animal species in which individuals are either male or female are gonochoric, which is the opposite of hermaphroditic. The individuals of many ...

, 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 Peter Simon Pallas Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS FRSE (22 September 1741 – 8 September 1811) was a Prussia, Prussian zoologist, botanist, Ethnography, ethnographer, Exploration, explorer, Geography, geographer, Geology, geologist, Natura ...

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 (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

''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.

Distribution and habitat

These plants, native to Europe, are widespread in the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

. They have been grown in the British Isles since 1804. In

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

, 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,

zones 5 to 9.

Cultivars

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