Astrantia L.

	Astrantia major 'Ruby wedding' Photo: © Werner Wallner, Victoria Adventure

Hattie's pincushion, masterwort

Most commonly cultivated

Astrantia major L.

Other species

A. carniolica Wulf.

A. maxima Pall.

Europe to west Asia.

Erect, branched stems bearing few palmately dissected or lobed, toothed or entire, sessile leaves, and simple umbels above the leaves; umbel subtended by cupped, spreading or reflexed involucre of showy, colored, papery, toothed bracts that give umbel starry appearance; both bisexual and male flowers in one umbel; male flowers on long pedicels, bisexual flowers on short pedicels; umbel with exserted stamens pincushion-like.

Involucral bracts 9-14, broad to narrow, elliptic to ovate or lanceolate, variously toothed, exceeding, equalling, or shorter than umbel, greenish, white, pink, or red, often tinged with contrasting color at base and/or tip, and with green or pink veining; umbels 1-3 cm across, calyx usually green or greenish-white, corolla generally white, pink, or red.

Zimbabwe.