This is a genus of herbaceous plants, sometimes known as masterworts, or more correctly great masterwort, that come from central and eastern Europe and as far east as the Caucasus.The name reflects the starry appearance of the flowers, which have a tight umbel of small florets, surrounded by a ruff of papery bracts. Usually they come in pale shades, but there are some varieties that have deeper colours.

Astrantia major has a ruff of stiff, papery bracts, pinkish white, like the flowers themselves. Such colourful bracts last much longer than flowers - a great advantage.