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

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Apiaceae. Growing to tall by broad, it is an herbaceous

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

, used in gardens. It is hardy to

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

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 (Nor ...

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

Reproduction

''Astrantia maxima'' is an

entomophilous Entomophily or insect pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen of plants, especially but not only of flowering plants, is distributed by insects. Flowers pollinated by insects typically advertise themselves with bright colours, some ...

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 Stratification may refer to: Mathematics * Stratification (mathematics), any consistent assignment of numbers to predicate symbols * Data stratification in statistics Earth sciences * Stable and unstable stratification * Stratification, or st ...

for germination to take place.

Taxonomy

It was found by botanist

Peter Simon Pallas Peter Simon Pallas FRS FRSE (22 September 1741 – 8 September 1811) was a Prussian zoologist and botanist who worked in Russia between 1767 and 1810. Life and work Peter Simon Pallas was born in Berlin, the son of Professor of Surgery ...

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 ''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. Des ...

'' and Astrantia major.

Distribution and habitat

These plants, native to Europe, are widespread in the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...

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

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

, 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