Saxifraga-oppositifolia-ssp-oppositifolia_10

Description:

Saxifraga oppositifolia ssp. oppositifoliaL., syn.: Saxifraga murithiana, Saxifraga rudolphianaPurple saxifraga, DE: Purpur-Steinbrech, Gegenblatt-SteinbrechSlo.: nasprotnolistni kreDat.: June 17. 2014Lat.: 46.43986 Long.: 13.64561Code: Bot_813/2014_DSC1837Habitat: among rocks, northwest oriented scree slope; open, sunny place, relatively humid, acid soil, calcareous/siliceous rock, exposed to direct rain, average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 0-2 deg C, elevation 1.990 m (6.530 feet),alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: soil among rocks.Place: Mt. Mangart's flats, scree slopes west of Mt. Mangart, East Julian Alps, Posoje, Slovenia EC Comment: Saxifraga oppositifolia is a jewel of Slovenian alpine flora. To me, it is the most beautiful species of genus Saxifraga among numerous others I know. This Arctic-Alpine floral element has been pushed by glaciers far south from its original distribution in Arctic during last Ice age and then, after the glaciers had melted, left only on the highest peaks of the Alps. Saxifraga oppositifolia is the highest climbing plant of the Alps found at 4.505 m (14.776 feet) elevation on Mt. Dom in Switzerland (Ref.:4). In Julian Alps it hardly descends below 2.000 m but ascends right the top of Mt. Triglav at 2.863m (9.391 feet).So unique to me and at the same time the commonest flower to kids in Greenland!Ref.:(1) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije, Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007) (in Slovene), p 238. (2) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora sterreich Liechtenstein, Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 390.(3) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 1., Haupt (2004), p 696.(4) K. Lauber and G. Wagner, Flora Helvetica, 5. Auflage, Haupt (2012), p 188.