Syn.: Cacalia leucophylla Willd., Adenostyles candidissima Cass., Adenostyles alpina var. leucophylla (Willd.) Fiori
Family: Asteraceae Bercht. et J. Presl
Distribution: Endemic to the Western Alps, occurs in the area from the Maritime Alps to the Rhaetian Alps.
Ecology: It grows in mountain meadows, pastures, rocky slopes and screes, on banks of mountain streams, mostly on the silicate substrate, from subalpine to alpine zone, up to an elevation of 3100 m. It blooms from June to August.
Description: Perennial herb, 20–50 cm tall. Stem erect, branched, whitish-floccose. Leaves alternate, petiolate, triangular to cordate, usually less than 10 cm wide, white-floccose-lanate, at least beneath, with nearly equal teeth. Inflorescence corymbose, with numerous small capitula, capitula with 12–15(–32) florets, pink to purple; involucral bracts 4–5 mm, oblanceolate to obovate, obtuse or subacute, floccose. The fruit is an achene with pappus.
These images were taken in Italy, Maritime Alps, Argentera, Lagarot di Lourousa (21. 6. 2006).
