Syn.: Antirrhinum alpinum L., Cymbalaria alpina (L.) Raf.
Family: Plantaginaceae Juss.

Linaria alpina

Distribution: Mountain species of central and southern Europe – the Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines, Carpathians, mountains of the Balkan Peninsula.

Ecology: It grows on rocky slopes and screes, in the Alps extends up to an elevation of about 2800 m. It blooms from May to August.

Linaria alpina

Description: Annual, biennial or perennial herb. Stem decumbent or ascending, 5–25 cm long, branched, glaucous. Leaves linear- to oblong-lanceolate, verticillate, 5–15 mm long and 0.7–2.5 mm wide. Flowers in a raceme, 3–15-flowered, calyx 3–5 mm long, lobes oblanceolate, corolla 13–22 mm, violet, usually with a yellow palate, rarely entirely yellow, whitish or pink, spur 8–10 mm long. The fruit is a capsule, 3–5 mm long.

Threat and protection: The species is protected by law in Slovakia.

Linaria alpina
Linaria alpinaLinaria alpina
Linaria alpina

These images were taken in Austria, Raxalpe (August 15, 2004).