Image of Saxifraga exarata subsp. carniolica (Huter) Wraber

Description:

Slo.: kranjski kamnokre - , syn.: Saxifraga moschata Wulfen var. carniolica Huter, Saxifraga moschata Wulfen ssp. carniolica (Huter) Wraber, Saxifraga moschata, Saxifraga exarata ssp. moschata - Habitat: Alpine grassland, just behind a ridge, north aspect, open, mostly sunny place, calcareous ground with some acid rocks, elevation 2.150 m (7.050 feet); average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature -1 to +1 deg C, alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: soil. Comment: Saxifraga exarata ssp. carniolica is a narrow endemic plant known only from six UTM squares (Universal Transverse Mercator grid 10 x 10 km) in Slovenian Alps and two squares from northeast Italy in West Julian Alps some 10 km west of Slovenian border. Its subspecies name is derived from 'Carniola', which is a historical name of (roughly) northwest region of present Slovenia. Since it can hardly be found below 2.000 m elevation the whole area where it can be seen is very limited. It can be recognized by glandulous hairiness and three-lobed small ground leaves. Similar Saxifraga exarata ssp. atropurpurea (Sternb.) Wraber is even rarer and grows entirely in Slovenian Alps on an even smaller area in Mt. Krn mountain group. Most of its ground leaves are entire and its flowers are beautifully reddish colored. Both are true high-mountain rarity. Ref.: (1) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 1., Haupt (2004), p 710. (2) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007), p 241. (3) T. Wraber, 2 x Sto alpskih rastlin na Slovenskem (2 x 100 Alpine Plants of Slovenia) (in Slovenian), Preernova druba (2006), p 70. (4) N. Jogan (ed.), Gradivo za Atlas flore Slovenije (Materials for the Atlas of Flora of Slovenia), CKSF (2001), p 339. (5) L. Poldini, Nuovo Atlante corologico delle piante vascolari nel Friuli Venezia Giulia, University of Trieste (2002), p 437.