Astrantia carniolica
Astrantia carniolica, the carniolan masterwort or red masterwort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae. It has long reddish flowers.
Description
Astrantia carniolica reaches on average less than 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 leaves are generally two, sessile, amplexicaul and lanceolate-shaped with a trilobed apex. The inflorescence is umbrella-shaped, with of diameter. The floral bracts are numerous, long, reddish with acuminate apex. The small flowers are white. The central ones are hermaphrodite, while the external ones are male. The petals are white, while the stamens are five and much longer. Size of the flowers: about 1–2 mm. The flowering period extends from June through September.Taxonomy
The specific epithet carniolica, meaning 'coming from Carniola'. Carniola was a historical region that comprised parts of present-day Slovenia. Which geographically distinguishes this species from its other relative Astrantia bavarica.Astrantia carniolica was originally described and published by Franz Xavier von Wulfen in 1778, in Volume 31 of 'Florae Austriacae, sive plantarum selectarum in Austriae archiducatu sponte crescentium, icones, ad vivum coloratae, et descriptionibus, ac synononymis illustratae.'.
It is sometimes known as the 'carnic masterwort', or 'Red Masterwort'.
Its Finnish common name is "Alppitähtiputki".
It was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 30 October 1996 and then updated on the 17 June 2008.
Astrantia carniolica is an accepted name by the RHS.
Distribution and habitat
It is native to the south-eastern Alps in Europe.Range
It has been found in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia.In Slovenia, it has been found in the Julian Alps and near Bohinj lake.