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Astrantia major L. map
Linnaeus, Sp. pl.: 235 (1753). – Type: Linnaean Herbarium 334.1 (LINN) lectotype, sel. by Reduron & Jarvis, Regnum Veg. 127: 22 (1993).
D Stjerneskærm. F isotähtiputki. N stjerneskjerm. S stjärnflocka.
To 110(--140) cm, with a 7–13 mm thick rhizome; rhizome and leaves faintly aromatic, flowers with a scent similar to Valeriana species. Stem solid; basal part 3–5 mm thick, terete to sulcate, red-violet or not, glaucous or not. Leaves 3–4 at the base and 2–4 on the stem, the innermost basal or the lowest stem leaf is the largest one; sheath broad, distinctly clasping, not red-violet (on the upper leaves very broad and continuous with the blade); petiole 15–45 cm; blade palmate, cleft almost to the base, 8–12(–19) × 11–15(–25) cm (length/width ratio 0.6–0.9), lower side distinctly paler. Middle lobe entire or with 1–2 pairs of lobes, 5.4–7.5(–14) × 2.8–3.8(–8.6) cm (length/width ratio 1.6–2.4), doubly serrate with acuminate teeth.
Umbels slightly convex, 1–1.5 cm high and 2.5–4 cm wide (including bracts), assembled in a dichasial or trichasial cyme; peduncle 2–11 cm; pedicels unequal in length (those of bisexual flowers 5–6 mm, those of male flowers 8–9 mm), minutely papillose. Bracts 13–19, 14–23 × 3–5.4 mm, reticulate with 3 main veins, white or slightly violet with upper part and veins green; border entire or serrate with 1–5 lateral teeth on each side in the upper part. Flowers actinomorphic, 50–97 per umbel; sepals 1.3–2.1 mm, aristate; petals white or pale violet, 1.1–1.6 × 0.5–0.9 mm, emarginate (with a 0.1–0.2 mm deep apical cut) ; anthers 0.5–0.7 mm, usually violet; filaments 2.2–4 mm. Fruit elliptic in outline, not flattened, white to greenish white. Mericarps 5.5–6.7 × 3–3.6 × 2–2.3 mm (length/width ratio 1.7–1.9); ridges 5, equally high, obtuse; stylopodium 0.6–0.7 mm wide; style 4–5 mm, directed upwards to obliquely outwards, circinate. – Mid-summer to late summer.
[2n=14, 28]
Distribution and habitat. Nem–SBor. – Grown for ornament, often persisting for a long time in parks and gardens; also escaped, especially on more or less damp, nutrient-rich soil in shady or half-shady places, e.g. fringes of damp woodland, damp roadsides and along streams. D scattered in Sjæ, FyL, ØJy and NJy, elsewhere currently rare (e.g., 3 localities in LFM, latest Sakskøbing 1920, and Brn Bodilsker 1865. N both in natural and man-made habitats in the southeast north to Op Gausdal, and along the coast to NNo Moskenes, Andøy and Hadsel; established at least in Øf Rakkestad, AA Arendal and VA Farsund. S first recorded in 1870 (Sk), now established at least in Sk Sankt Olof, SmI Södra Unnaryd and Ryssby, Srm several localities, Vsm Kila andVästerås; scattered to rare north to southern Vrm Karlstad, Dlr Ludvika and Rättvik, Hls Hudiksvall and Söderhamn; PL Arvidsjaur 1969 (damp meadow). F reported as escaped from c. 10 places in the southern part; established in U Nurmijärvi and perhaps also V Karjaa.
C and E Europe.
Biology. Bisexual flowers predominate in primary and secondary umbels, male flowers in tertiary umbels. The conspicuous bracts function as attraction agents to pollinators. Probably primarily adapted to water-dispersal (the fruits have air-filled ridges that enable them to float).
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